


Hands of Fate

by boobtube1938



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-19
Updated: 2013-08-19
Packaged: 2017-12-23 18:37:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 25,413
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/929751
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/boobtube1938/pseuds/boobtube1938
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"You funny. I'm Katie. I'm Stiles' favorite, he likes to give me cookies and piggy back rides and sometimes, he helps me take down Derek. I like ponies too but mommy said I can't get one. Do you like ponies?" Scott looks at the little girl, never giving her an answer. Katie continues talking. "I want to be a princess one day and Stiles says he will be my noble knight and keep all the bad guys away. Crayons are fun too, I like the really blue ones, they remind me of Derek's wolfy eyes. Did you see Derek's wolfy eyes yet? They, they look all sparkly." </p>
<p>Scott, he doesn't know how to answer the little girl.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hands of Fate

 

oOoOoOo

 

He was on his nightly run of the territory, making sure that rogue packs or hunters have not moved into the area or set up traps. On his way back home, he passes by a house, the smell of blood and death assaulting his nose. He turns to face the house where the devastation no doubt took place. His heart stops and makes a mad dash into the house.

The father was in the hallway, multiple stab wounds to the chest; his wife was only five feet away in front of a closed door. Crying behind the door caught the man's attention. Careful of the bodies, the man shuffles his way to the closed room, opening it and finding it to be a nursery; the baby in the crib. Making his way over to the child, he bends over the edge of the crib, picking up the crying infant.

"Shhh, everything is going to be ok little one." Cradling the baby, the man grabs the blue blanket that was hung on the side, wrapping it around the child. "Everything is fine now." He exits the room, careful to shield the infant's eyes from the gruesome scene. Quickly, he takes off into the woods, never looking back and going the only place where he knows is safe: home.

oOo

The predator lurks around the corner, watching and waiting for the right moment to attack its prey; when it's least expecting…

"MOM! Tell Derek to leave me alone!" Derek had pounced on his older sister, sinking his baby wolf fangs into her arm. "Eww gross!" Laura dislodges Derek from her arm, leaving a trail of drool and blood in his wake. "Now I'm going to have rabies!" She storms out of the room to slam the bathroom door. Derek doesn't bother getting up from the floor from where he landed when Laura threw him. He sits on the floor, looking up with big blue eyes when his mother enters the room, trying to suppress her laughter. Derek beams up at her, a toothy grin with a few missing teeth.

"Derek," She tries to make her voice stern, but knows she fails and instead sits on the couch, patting the spot next to her. Derek scrambles to his feet and jumps on the couch to snuggle into his mother's side. "Next time, how about you don't bite your sister?"

"Ok momma." Derek snuggles closer to his mother, taking in her scent and wrapping his arms around her waist. She snakes her arm around Derek, pulling him in closer. The little boy starts to close his eyes when he is hit with the aroma of his father. "Daddy!" Scurrying from the couch, Derek rushes to the front door, flinging it open and running outside to greet his father. "Daddy!" Smiling, Derek greets his father, ready to jump into his dad's arms.

"Derek." His father's voice is soft but commanding. The smile fades from Derek's face but notices his dad carrying something.

"Daddy?" His father meets him in the middle and places his free hand on his son's shoulder.

"Let's go inside."

"What do you have?" The little boy questions. Derek is jumping up and down trying to catch a glimpse of what is securely bundled up in the blankets.

"You'll see when we get inside." The father, Derek and the baby were greeted at the door by the mother.

"Bau, why do you have a child?" The mother reaches her arms out to take the infant from her husband. "He's just a tiny thing. How precious." She pushes the blanket away from the infant's face to get a better look at the child. "What happened?" The infant sneezes, causing a coo to make its way out of woman's mouth and a tender smile spread across her face.

Bau's face becomes grim. "His parents were murdered. I-I went inside because…" he trails off. The sight of the conditions of the bodies flashing across his mind. Such a horror only a real monster could inflict mercilessly. How the little baby survived, Bau isn't sure, but grateful, even if the baby had no clue to the tragic events that have transpired.

"Who?" The woman's face falls as she awaits her husband's response.

"The…" He stops, not wanting to finish, his wife stares at him, waiting for an answer.

"Who were they?"

"The-the Stilinskis." His wife gasps, tears present in her eyes. Everyone knew the Stilinski family, they were loved by all. Mr. Stinski was well known, not just because of his job as Sheriff, but because he was always nice to those he crossed paths with and his wife was a complete joy to be around. The townsfolk absolutely adored both and when Mrs. Stilinski gave birth to the couple's first son, the town was buzzing with excitement. One could say the family had small town celebrity status. Who would do such horrible things to a wonderful family? Why would they just leave a child without parents?

What would happen when daylight broke and the horrendous crime was exposed?

Bau looks down at the infant. "Maggie…"

"We'll take care of him."

"How are we going to explain how we acquired another child? There will be a search team for the baby." Maggie lovingly runs her hand over the soft skin of the sleeping baby. Bau places a gentle hand over his mate's, ceasing her movements. "Maggie, we can't keep him."

"He needs a family. We can't hand him over to an agency. It'll take years for them to finalize the adoption, even in the wake of the murders. He may have other family and what if they aren't involved in his life at all and the agents just ship him off to them anyways? It'll turn out just like that Potter character. I know they'll be searching, but we can't just hand him over. We'll come up with something, just please."

"He's human."

"And we'll love him all the same. Just look at him. He needs us and he'll make a great addition to the pack." Her eyes were pleading. She was not going to let this go so easily. She would rather rip her own limbs off before she let any child be subjected to the system's inner workings.

Tugging on her pants reminds Maggie and Bau of Derek's presence. Maggie looks down at her five-year-old son, she smiles. "Derek?"

"Can I see the baby?" Smirking, Maggie nods to her son, kneeling down so Derek can take a look. The young boy's eyes rake over the infant, who is starting to stir. Brown, doe-like eyes open, locking with Derek's. The youngest Hale's eyes flash a brilliant blue and the infant gurgles, blowing a bubble only to have it pop in Derek's face. Derek shakes his head and brings his hand up to wipe away the baby's spit. "Stiles."

"What was that honey?"

"Stiles. That's his name." Bau, sighs and ruffles his son's hair.

"Stiles." Bau hesitates before continuing. "Welcome to the pack." Maggie smiles up at her husband and then turns her attention back to the baby, Stiles.

"Daddy." Bau looks at his son. "What's that smell?" Sniffing the air, Bau and Maggie's face scrunch up. Derek's mother stands.

"Derek, can you call your aunt Lizzy? Ask her if she can come over with some baby supplies?" Derek nods and saunters into the house, going towards a phone to call one of his aunts. When Maggie knows that Derek is busy, she turns to her husband. "You saw that too right?"

"Yeah. I guess that explains the whole 'it happened for a reason' thing."

"What should we do? Is it possible at this age?"

"Never heard of it before, but it's possible." Bau looks down the hall towards his son. "Derek has found his mate."

oOo

From an early age, the Hales made sure that Stiles was accustomed to the pack and not afraid. Stiles took it in stride, claiming that his family was super cool and when he got older, he wanted to be just like everyone else. He declares his excitement and tells Maggie and Bau that one day he'll become alpha of the pack and be a great leader. Derek would always retort, telling the younger boy that he wasn't alpha material and that Laura would take the position.

Stiles would have tears in his eyes but Maggie, Bau or Laura would just pick up the younger boy and tell him that anything was possible. Stiles, when looking over their shoulders, would stare directly at Derek, remove his thumb from his mouth and stick his tongue out at the wolf. Derek would scowl and stomp his way to his room or outside.

Stiles was a quiet child until the age of five, where he and Derek would gang up together and go on adventures. Well, more like Derek would bribe Stiles to do his dirty work and when the plans failed, Stiles would get caught and Derek would get out scotch-free. Laura and their parents were quick to discover Derek's involvement with the stunts Stiles tries to pull off.

"Are you sure this is going to work?" Stiles watches as Derek listens for any approaching family members. Hearing none, Derek ushers Stiles down the hall, towards Laura's room. "Derek?"

"Go, she's not in there; no one else is in the house."

"You promise I get a cookie?" Big brown eyes connect with Derek's.

"Stiles. Go." Derek growls out shoving Stiles through the slightly opened doorway. Stiles stumbles forward, looking back at Derek, who just growls. Stiles turns around and ventures farther into the room, bumping into some furniture along the way. Seeing the designated spot, Stiles wonders over, picking up the pillow and grabs the hidden diary. He looks back at Derek for approval, but the older boy was no where to be seen. Before Stiles had the chance of scurrying from the room, Laura rounds the corner, stopping in her doorway.

"Stiles," Her voice was calm. "What did he promise you this time?" Stiles looks up, brown eyes growing bigger and he bites his lip. "Stiles."

"He, he said I, I have a cookie." Sighing, Laura kneels in front of the little five-year-old, grabbing the diary to set it back on her bed. Stiles averts his eyes as Laura wraps her arms around the small boy's frame to pick him up and carry him over to the bed. She lies down with Stiles against her side. Stiles snuggles into the warmth and sticks his thumb in his mouth. Laura hears the boy's heartbeat and breathing even out. "Derek." She whispers, but knows that he would be able to hear. "We'll talk about this later." She can hear Derek grumble as he marches his way back to his room and promptly slams the door shut.

Laura runs her hand through Stiles' buzzed hair. "He'll see soon enough, Stiles." She whispers, bending down to place a kiss on the sleeping boy's head.

oOo

As the years progressed, Stiles became an important asset to the Hale pack. Sure, he knew tons of information about werewolves since he grew up with them, but he would help Bau make battle tactics and help with training.

Stiles was not allowed to run with the pack on full moon nights even with his training, Bau and Maggie finding it too dangerous, but he would be sitting on the porch coming up with ideas or laying on the ground. His hands were placed behind his head as he watches the luminous Night Goddess take her thrown above as her children run free in her guiding light.

One night as Stiles waits for the pack's return, he's lying on the ground, eyes closed as he enjoys the howling in the distance and the other sounds of the sleeping forest surrounding him.

A twig snaps to his left, making the teen shoot up from his position, hand ready to pull out his wolfs-bane soaked knife. Rustling and shuffle of feet were getting closer. Stiles' hold on the knife becomes tighter as he waits to see the predator. The sounds come from the left and Stiles waits for the perfect moment.

The cause of the twig snapping jumps from its hiding spot, landing right in front of the teen. Stiles stands ready, knife out and watching the wolf closely to determine its next move. The teen notices the wolf's eyes glance to his right hand and its paws flex in the dirt. The brown-eyed boy smirks and plants his feet firmly onto the ground, waiting for the wolf's attack.

Launching, the wolf soars through the air, landing on Stiles and the two topple to the ground. The entangled bodies roll around trying to gain dominance over the other. Stiles sees the perfect opportunity and stabs the predator in the side. The wolf howls in pain and stumbles off of the boy. Stiles gets to his feet, stalking over to the wolf, ready to end its life before it could harm another being.

"Stiles, drop the knife!" Bau's voice commands as he and the others exit the woods.

"Bau." Stiles looks up to meet the older man's gaze. "This wolf tried to kill me."

"This wolf is Derek." Stiles immediately looks down at what used to be a wolf's form.

"Derek, what the hell?! You tried to kill me!" Derek just grunts, holding his bleeding side. The older boy's eyes flickering between forest green and his beta blue.

"What's on the knife?" Derek grunts out.

Stiles rubs the back of his head, "Umm…"

"Maggie, Sandy, Ross, get Derek inside, clean the wounds. The rest of you can go home. Stiles come with me." Bau wraps his arm around Stiles' shoulders, leading him into the woods to enter a clearing. "Have a seat." Bau directs Stiles over to a log, both taking a seat.

"I'm sorry about Derek. I didn't know."

Bau chuckles. "That boy will learn someday, but that's not what I brought you out here to talk about." Stiles opens his mouth to ask but Bau sticks his hand up, stopping the younger man. "I think it's time you learn how to interact with people." Stiles stares at the man.

"If you haven't noticed, I can talk…"

"Stiles, that's not what I mean. Maggie and I have decided that it's time for you to look beyond the horizon, explore a little. That's why you start school on Monday."

Stiles jumps up from his spot on the log. "What? Are you crazy? Why all of a sudden, why not when I was younger?" Thoughts run through the teen's head. "There's hunters aren't there?"

"Stiles."

"Hunters. Tell me it's because of hunters."

"It, it helped with the decision."

"Who are they?"

"You never stop do you?" Bau chuckles.

"Bau, who are the hunters?"

Bau sighs but knows that Stiles won't let the question go until he gets an answer. "Argents."

"They're back? I thought you had an agreement with Gerard?"

"We do… did. There are things happening and they feel that we're not capable of taking care of it."

"What things?"

"Stiles, can you just let this one thing go?" Stiles looks at the man with his 'you're seriously asking me that?' face. "A rogue werewolf. He attacked a teen last night, we think he turned the boy."

"You want me to try and figure out who it is? Why can't you just get Derek or someone sniff him out? Then I don't have to go to public school."

"We thought about it, but the Argents, they, they have a daughter your age."

Never the one to turn his back on a challenge or action, Stiles smirks down at Bau. "I better get one hell of a raise for my allowance."

"You don't have an allowance." Bau chuckles.

"Exactly." Stiles flails his arms.

Bau stands. "Let's get back to the house, see what damage was done." A smile was heard in the older man's voice.

oOo

"STILES!" Derek shouts as he ambushes Stiles' room, shooting silly string over the sleeping form. Stiles gets trapped in his blankets and is unable to escape before Derek pins him to the bed and continues spraying the silly string.

"Derek! Get off of me!" The teen tries fighting off the older man but struggles against the hold. Both break out into a fit of laughter as Derek tosses the can to the side and starts tickling Stiles. After a few moments, Stiles is out a breath and Derek gets off the younger boy, lying beside the other, still laughing. "I hate you." Derek continues to chuckle.

Laura was passing Stiles' room when she notices the two, she smiles. ' _Soon. Very Soon_.' She taps on the door. "Sorry to interrupt, but Stiles needs to get ready or he's going to be late." She hears the teen grumble in protest and Derek laughing again at the other boy's misfortune, only to have Stiles hit him in the face with a pillow and reply with ' _Jerk!_ ' Smiling, Laura continues down the hall to enter her room.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Derek questions Stiles. The brown-eyed boy is rummaging through his dresser and closet, looking for an outfit to wear as Derek sits on the edge of the bed.

"I have to in order to find out the new furball and keep an eye on the Argent's demonic offspring. Now where the hell… ugh, that girl is going to be the death of me! Katie!" Katie was one of the multiple cousins of the Hales and had Stiles wrapped around her tiny finger at the ripe age of six. She favored Stiles right from the beginning and the two were inseparable. "Found it!" Stiles exclaims as he finds his missing shoe and crawls out of the clutter of a closet. "Dude, you ok?" Stiles addresses Derek, who is staring at him.

The lycanthrope shakes his head and blinks his eyes. "Uh, yeah. I'm fine." He glances at the clock. "You're going to be late."

"Fuck!" Stiles runs around his room, grabbing the last few items and tossing them into his backpack.

"I'll take you. I have to tell you some things anyways, so you ready?" Stiles gives a nod and he and Derek exit the room.

Stiles pushes past Derek, making him slam into the wall. "Last one to the car has to buy ice cream!" He runs down the stairs and flies out of the house and instantly slows down. "Cheater!" Derek was leaning against the camaro, arms crossed and waiting patiently for Stiles. "Stupid werewolves and their stupid wofly powers." Stiles huffs, hoists his bag higher on his shoulder, grumbling.

Derek just chuckles as he enters the vehicle and pulls out of his parking spot.

oOo

The midnight black camaro pulls into the Beacon Hills High School parking lot. Parking, Derek turns to face Stiles. "You sure you're going to be ok?" Stiles lets out a huge sigh and stares straight ahead.

"I'll be fine. I know what to do if something happens and I know how to protect myself." He shifts in his seat to meet Derek's gaze. "Ok, what's the stuff I need to know?"

Derek pulls out a picture. "This is Argent's daughter, Allison. Dad and mom aren't sure how much she knows about her family's business, but she's one of the top archers in the country." Stiles nods. He makes sure to memorize the face in the picture.

"Demonic child." He looks back out the window and notices that a crowd of students have gathered and are staring directly at him. "What the…"

"You're new and in a kick ass car." Stiles rolls his eyes and makes a move to get out of the car. "I'll be here to pick you up afterwards." With a salute and a 'yes sir!' Stiles walks away from the safety of the car, towards the building.

oOo

Stiles felt that his first day was a waste of time and could have been at home helping Bau with training ideas. There hadn't been anything to clue him into who the newly bitten boy may have been and he made sure to keep his eye on the Argent girl but at a safe distance, at least until lunch anyways. That's when things started getting interesting.

At lunch, Stiles scans the cafeteria for an empty seat or someone who would allow him to sit at their table. He recognizes a few people from some of his classes but decides not to sit with them. As he finds a seat, he makes his way through the café but a voice calls out, calling him over to a table a few feet away.

"New kid, over here!" A blond boy shouts. Stiles sighs but takes the offer and sits in an empty seat. He looks around the table and notices the others. Stiles recognizes the blond, Jackson Whittemore, who everyone made sure Stiles knew that Jackson was the Captain of the lacrosse team and that the school practically belongs to him and Lydia, the red head on Jackson's right. Stiles looks at the others at the table, noticing a boy sitting on Jackson's left. On the other side of the table, the spawn of Satan and next to her a boy with a crooked chin.

Allison offers her hand. "Hi, I'm Allison." Stiles looks at the hand as if it was going to burn him but takes it after a moment.

"Stiles." He takes in the girl's appearance and watching her every move. Allison elbows the boy beside her, making him look up.

"Umm… Scott." Scott looks at Stiles questionably but averts his eyes to look at the tray of food in front of him.

"New kid…"

"Stiles."

Lydia scoffs but continues. "You trying out for lacrosse? Jackson could use the practice of pushing people to the ground, you know as the team captain and all."

"Co-Captain." Scott corrects the red head.

Stiles smirks. "I'm not really…"

"You probably wouldn't be able to handle it anyways. Not everyone is born to play but the team could really use someone for target practice since McCall magically became…"

"You're just mad that you have competition now." Allison defends Scott.

"Someone just doesn't get like that overnight unless…" Stiles tunes out the conversation and looks towards Scott. The teen's face hasn't lifted more than an inch from the table, never made eye contact with anyone and Stiles could tell that something was off with Scott's posture, even with just meeting him for the first time.

"I'm in. When's practice." Stiles finds himself saying.

"After school."

"I'll be there." Stiles' eyes narrow on Scott and Allison as the girl leans into Scott's side, a silent way of offering comfort.

oOo

" _Everything ok? Do you need me to pick you up?"_

"No, everything's fine, Derek. I just… I have an idea of the boy who was bitten."

" _Who?"_

"Scott McCall. He's uh, he's dating Allison."

" _Does he know what her family does? Shit, Stiles you have to make sure he doesn't do anything stupid."_

"Already on it, have lacrosse practice after school today."

" _Thought Stiles didn't like sports."_

"He doesn't, but Scott's on the team…"

" _Fuck! I'll be there, I'm not going to have us exposed by some newly bitten kid."_ Derek hangs up before Stiles had a chance to talk, no doubt going to Bau and tell them the new development. This certainly puts a twist on the whole situation.

oOo

The final bell of the day rings and the teens are finally free to go. Stiles heads to the locker room and picks the locker closest to Scott.

"Scott right?"

"Yeah. Stiles?"

"Yeah." The two shake hands and start getting ready for the day's practice.

Outside, Coach is yelling at the team with his usual 'pep talk' before sending Danny, the goalie, to the goal and having a few others standing in front to help Danny. The rest of the team lines up ready to go.

Stiles looks around and notices Derek on the edge of the woods, both nod their heads. The whistle blows and practice has begun.

One after the other, the teens get the ball and make attempts to make a shot at the goal. So far, only Jackson has managed to make it past the other players and score. Smirking as Coach pats him on the back, the next teen is up.

Scott.

Stiles watches intently as Scott barrels towards the goal, his maneuvers impossible with human abilities. Then, Scott is crashing into Danny, standing up to hold his head and run towards the school.

Derek is already gone by the time Stiles looks back up. Finally, Stiles decides to run after Scott, thinking better than to leave Derek to handle it, he can get, well, he can get Derek-y.

Entering the locker room, Stiles calls out to the other teen. "Scott? Hey, it's just me, Stiles. Wanted to make sure you were ok." He can hear the shower running and starts to stalk towards the entrance to the showers. Derek rounds the corner, telling Stiles to stay put.

Derek looks around the corner and notices Scott with his head against the tiled wall but no wolfish features. He signals to Stiles to go talk to him.

"Hey Scott."

"Leave." Scott is breathing heavily. His face pressed up against the tiled wall of the showers. His features are hidden.

"Scott, I know about…" Scott turns quickly and runs forward, slamming Stiles into the wall. Before any more harm could come to Stiles, Derek is pulling Scott back. Scott is no match against Derek and was quickly pinned securely against the wall. The older wolf was growling making sure that the younger wolf knew his place.

"Derek, let's get him back to the house. Bau will want to meet him." Scott starts to struggle against Derek's hold, demanding that the other wolf let him go and that he would not be going anywhere with him. Derek bashes Scott's head against the wall, making the teen black out. "Seriously?"

"Did you really want to deal with a pissy wolf?"

"I do. Everyday." Derek growls as Stiles turns to exit the locker room. "Let's go sourwolf and get our new pet home."

 

"We're home!" Stiles announces as he opens the front door of the Hale home. Maggie exits the kitchen to greet the boy.

"Hi, honey. How was your first day?" Maggie gives a quick kiss to the teen's forehead. "What did you do?" The older woman sniffs Stiles. "First day and you're already getting into trouble?"

"Psssh, nawh. I just found the new pup already. Derek's trying to get him out of the car now." Stiles points to where Derek was pulling the unconscious boy out of the car and slinging Scott over his shoulder. Maggie rushes past Stiles to meet Derek.

"What did you two do?" Maggie was looking at the boy for any physical injuries but found none.

"Well, you see, you're son here…" Derek growls. "Shut up sourwolf. Derek got in the way, I had everything under control."

"He slammed you against the wall!"

Stiles rolls his eyes. "Anyways, I had everything under control but meathead felt the need to bash the kid's skull against the tiles in the locker room shower." Maggie lets out a disbelieving deep breath.

"Take him inside and set him on the couch. Your father will want to talk to him." Derek nods, starting towards the house. "And Derek, next time, don't knock the poor boy out." The young man continues his journey to the house, leaving Maggie and Stiles standing in the front yard of the property.

"Well, I uh have homework to do so I'll just be going…" Stiles turns on heal, trying to make his way to the safety of the residence, but the pressure on his shoulder has the teen stopping and turning to look at the woman.

"You have to be careful with that boy, Stiles. He's not pack, he could have killed you." Worry flashes across the woman's face.

Stiles places his hand over Maggie's. "I'll be fine, Mags." The teen and the woman look intently into the other's eyes and with a nod, Stiles rushes into the dwelling to plop beside the couch where the unconscious boy had been laid and stares at Scott.

Laura walks into the room, eating chocolate pudding, noticing Stiles and an unknown boy. "Hey Stiles."

Stiles' eyes never leave the boy's face. "Hi Laura." He brings his hand up to poke at Scott's arm.

"What are you doing?" Laura is standing beside Stiles, eyebrow raised.

"Taking notes." Stiles continues to poke Scott and occasionally lifting one arm up and letting it drop back down to the couch and moves on to the teen's legs, repeating the process. He looks over the other boy's form poking his fingers into the soft flesh and moving his head close to get a better look.

Rolling her eyes, Laura goes to exit the room but stops in the doorway, continuing to watch Stiles poke and prod at the unconscious boy. Stiles had always been the kind to do whatever it takes to gain information, whether the newly obtained knowledge was helpful or not, Stiles was right there, ready to learn. The young woman chuckles to herself as she remembers the young boy that was always getting himself hurt because the need for information about the world around him too great to just let the feeling go. It was what Stiles lived for.

As she watches Stiles throw small objects at the boy, a kiss to her cheek had her turning to face her younger brother. "Hey Derek, see you and Stiles brought home a new pet." Derek chuckles and turns his gaze to where Stiles had a rubber band in his hand and hitting it off Scott's skin, the marks disappearing only seconds later. The two siblings are lost in their own world as their conversation continues.

Laura, even though she knows Stiles is too busy to listen in on her and Derek's exchange of words, she lowers her voice. "So how's the whole searching thing going?"

"Laura…" Derek lets out a sigh and runs his hand over his face. Lately, Laura has been constantly asking him about if he had an idea about who his mate may be. At first, Derek would slam his bedroom door in Laura's face, kick her out of his room or take off into the woods to avoid talking about his mate who he has not discovered yet.

"You can't run from this and I know that you're trying but maybe if you just sit down, calm yourself and let some of the wolf's senses take over, maybe then you'll be able to find your mate. Try to concentrate on finding their heartbeat." She looks to her younger brother, taking in his expression. Laura could tell it was taking a toll on the younger wolf. At a certain age, every wolf would start the quest to find their other half. Every year that a wolf is in search for their mate, they would suffer and emptiness would take place in their heart, growing. Werewolves could survive without a mate with the help of their pack. However, even with surrounding themselves with the others, a wolf without a mate would not feel complete. Derek was still in the early stages, thus not having a mate didn't make him completely suffer. Laura wishes she could just tell her brother that obtaining his one true love wasn't even ten feet away but werewolves had to find their mate on their own.

"I know, I have been trying its just difficult." A moment of silence fall between the two siblings until the clinking of metal gets their attention, snapping their gaze to Stiles and Scott. Stiles is sauntering over to the still unconscious teen, carrying a blade. Watching, Derek and Laura see Stiles stand over the boy, hand gripping around the knife tighter and holding it up to Scott's arm, ready to slice through the skin. "Stiles!" Derek's barks scaring Stiles, making the teen drop the knife, only to have the pointed side stab him in the foot.

"MOTHERFFFFFF…!" Stiles falls to the floor to grasp his injured foot but afraid to take the knife out of his flesh. Pinching the bridge of his nose, Derek stalks over to where the boy was, bending over to pluck the knife from Stiles' foot and helping Stiles to stand to take him to the bathroom to clean the wound.

Watching the two disappear behind the bathroom door, Laura strolls over to the couch to kneel beside Scott. "What the hell did those two do to you?" She reaches out, going to stroke the boy's hair when his eyes fly open. "Sure, _now_ you wake up." Scott starts to panic, shooting up from his position on the couch and trying to get as far away from the woman towering over him. "Hey, I'm not going to hurt you." Her voice is calm as the boy looks at his surroundings, eyes flashing and teeth growing. "You're fine, just relax."

Scott's chest is still rising and falling heavily but he manages to calm himself down enough to talk. "Where… where am I?"

"Lay back down and I'll get you some water and I'll get the alpha. Stay here, I'll be right back." Exiting the room, Laura leaves to call for Bau and grab a glass of water. A Few minutes later the 29 year-old returns with a man and some of the clear liquid handing it over to the teen. "Here ya go." Scott takes the glass, gulping the water down in seconds.

Bau looks the boy over before moving a seat closer to the couch where Scott was resting. Bau looks intently at the teen, making Scott squirm under his gaze and averting his eyes. Bau smiles at the show of submission. "Scott?" Hesitantly, Scott moves his gaze to look at Bau. "You're fine, no need to be afraid. I just want to talk." The teen starts to shift uncomfortable in the seat. "You know what happened?"

"I-I swear I didn't…"

"No, this is not your fault. Just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. I'm, we're, just here to help you." Scott slowly starts to nod. "I know that you have a lot of questions about what you are and what exactly happened and we are going to give you the needed information and help you control this." Bau looks up as he hears Derek and Stiles bickering back and forth to each other, making their way back to the living room.

"That was not my fault!" Stiles exclaims as Derek helps Stiles walk without putting too much pressure on his injured foot.

"You're the one who insisted that I put those so called wings on you and push you off of the roof!"

"In my defense, I was only eight, how was I supposed to know that cardboard wouldn't work? I think you just wanted to get rid of me."

Derek shrugs. "I always did want the extra piece of dessert…" Stiles slaps Derek.

"Jerk!" The two enter the room, lost in conversation.

"Boys." Bau speaks up after a few minutes of Derek and Stiles bickering. The two boys look at the alpha and then have their gaze fall on the now awake Scott.

"Hey Scotty boy, glad you finally woke up. Sorry about earlier but this big lug here doesn't have great social skills." Derek slaps Stiles upside the head. "Hey! I only speak the truth!" The older boy makes a move to hit Stiles again, but Bau's voice breaks up the banter between the two.

"Stiles, we'll talk about what you did later. Now, as I was telling Scott, we're here to help him and I think Stiles you'll be able to give him the needed information in order for him to stay safe and survive."

"Might as well dig your grave kid." Derek retorts, gaining protest from Stiles.

"Remember who kicked your ass on the last full moon? Yeah, that's what I thought. I also save your ass all the time like with the…"

"Enough. Stiles, you and Derek will have time later; we have more pressing matters to deal with instead of Derek falling victim to dear in heat." Stiles, Laura and Bau start laughing at Derek's expense, making the oldest boy scowl and drop Stiles to the floor. Scott watches the exchange between the family and nervously laughs, not knowing what to do. "Ok, we need to focus here. Stiles, take Scott outside. Derek, go help your mother with dinner. Laura, is Mike coming over tonight?"

"No, he has some business to take care of. I'll just make a plate up for him to take home with me when I go back." Bau nods at his daughter and the others do as their told. Derek goes to the kitchen to help Maggie with dinner and Stiles limps with Scott following closely behind. Laura addresses her father. "You think it's going to be ok?"

"It'll take a while for the kid to get used to it, but Stiles knows what he's doing and it'll be good for the both of them to have someone their age to talk to."

oOo

"Have a seat." Stiles wobbles over to an empty seat, sitting down and waiting for the other boy to join him. "So I know there's a lot you need to know, so what's your first question?" Scott just stares at Stiles. "Ok, um, how about we start with when you were bitten?" No response from the other teen, Stiles huffs out a breath. "Obviously you know that you weren't bitten just by some regular animal and therefore wouldn't even be in this mess. You my boy are now an honorary member of the werewolf club." Stiles smiles but again receives no reaction from the other teen. Stiles rubs a hand over his face. "I know that this is new but you're going to have to work with me here, I can't do all the talking, well I can but when I do all the talking, nothing gets done around here and I normally end up making things worse. Like this one time…"

Scott is staring at Stiles in morbid fascination. How can one individual talk so much? Is it even possible to be that fidgety all the time? The teen watches Stiles as Stiles watches him, waiting for any kind of reaction from the other. The two teens sit in silence for what feels like an eternity before Stiles starts to get uncomfortable and starts shifting in his seat. "Umm, as much as I like this creepy stare down and all, neither one of us are Derek and well, we should you know, actually be talking because again, we're not creeper-stalker sour…"

"Do you always talk this much?"

"And so he speaks! Good boy, now roll over." Scott stares at Stiles. "Fetch? Ok, never mind. We have other issues to talk about other than your lack of obedience."

"Obedience?"

"Forget that, that's Bau's forte. Anyways, as we already have established, you were bitten by a rogue and are now a werewolf."

"Rogue?"

"A werewolf that travels alone, no pack. They're nasty things to take out. They cause a shit load of damage too if not handled right away. Exhibit A." Stiles stretches his arms out as Vanna White would when revealing a letter or a prize. Scott was not amused. "You and Derek will get along just fine."

"Can you just tell me what the hell is going on?" Scott was now getting impatient with the ramblings of the doe-eyed teen. "You kidnap me, bring me to a place out in the middle of the woods and then you make me sit here, suffering, as I listen to your useless babble!"

"Ouch." Stiles mocks his hurt. "This is not useless babble. Just relax and I'll tell you what you need to k now. Bitten, werewolf, yadda, yadda, yadda. Now, I, as your Yoda, will help guide and keep you from trouble and sometimes train you but that's up to the alpha, I just help with planning. You will need to come here after school so you can get used to the others of the pack that is if you decide to join."

"Join? How am I supposed to explain all of this to my mom? I-I can't tell her."

"You'll join the pack; it will become your second family if you allow it and if you submit to the alpha. When you submit, we'll be able to help you with your transformations and controlling your counterpart. Now, as far as the whole mom thing, just tell her you met your new bestest buddy in the world and that you want to hang out here after school during the week."

"Dude, there's no way that I can do lacrosse _and_ this. I'm already falling behind."

"You're going to have to try unless you want to end up with your ass on the Argent's wall as a decorative piece."

"What?"

"Shit, you weren't… coming Mags!" Stiles, as quickly as he can, gets up from the seat and wobbles back into the house, knowing that he has said too much. Scott wasn't supposed to know this soon, he was only supposed to tell Scott the basics and then reveal his girlfriend's family's secret. Revealing too much, too soon, could scare Scott and bad things could happen.

A little voice breaks through Scott's thought, making him turn his attention to a little girl with bright blue eyes that held the wonders of the world and long blond hair. She bounces up the steps of the back porch, stopping right in front of the teen. She tilts her head to the side in observation. "Why's your face crooked?"

"My face isn't…" The little girl grabs Scott's hand, biting it. "Ouch!" She giggles as the teen pulls his arm back to cradle it against his chest.

"You funny. I'm Katie. I'm Stiles' favorite, he likes to give me cookies and piggy back rides and sometimes, he helps me take down Derek. I like ponies too but mommy said I can't get one. Do you like ponies?" Scott looks at the little girl, never giving her an answer. Katie continues talking. "I want to be a princess one day and Stiles says he will be my noble knight and keep all the bad guys away. Crayons are fun too, I like the really blue ones, they remind me of Derek's wolfy eyes. Did you see Derek's wolfy eyes yet? They, they look all sparkly." Scott, he doesn't know how to answer the little girl, well he does, but the ways that she and Stiles are alike are frightening. Katie was a miniature Stiles in girl form. The world was not ready for Stiles, let alone a girl who acts just like him. Luckily though, the universe was for once on his side and the familiar voice of Stiles stops Katie from her word vomit.

"I see that you have met the little monster they call Katie." Hearing Stiles' voice, Katie turns and runs into Stiles' waiting arms.

"Stiles!" She wraps her tiny arms around the teen's neck, allowing Stiles to pick her up, swaying side to side, making the small girl giggle. "Stiles, I made a new friend!"

"Oh, did you now? Does your new friend want to come in and have some dinner with us?" Without bothering to turn and look at Scott, Katie nods her head 'yes' and wiggles her way out of Stiles' arms to latch onto Scott's hand, dragging the older boy into the house. Upon entering the house, Scott notices that the oldest woman and Derek were in the kitchen, setting the table for the evening meal. Laura and Bau were talking amongst themselves as they enter the room. Scott stumbles forward as the little girl continues dragging him into the house and forcing him to sit in the seat next to hers; the seat belonging to Stiles.

Soon, everyone had filed into the room, taking their normal seats. Stiles seeing Scott in his normal seat, pulls up the extra chair next to Derek. Katie, noticing this, starts to panic. "Stiles!"

Stiles looks over at the little girl with tears in her eyes. "Katie?"

"You sit by me." Katie pouts and sticks her bottom lip out.

"But Scott is sitting…" Stiles has no time to finish the sentence before the little girl pushes Scott out of the chair, making him fall to the kitchen floor. Wiping off the seat and patting it, she turns her eyes to Stiles and smiles brightly.

"Sit." Katie demands and when Stiles starts to protest, she growls and elongates her baby wolf teeth. Stiles raises his hands in defeat and strolls over to the seat, stepping over Scott.

"Sorry man, my woman wants me." Stiles settles in the chair next to Katie, instantly being pulled closer so that their sides were touching. Scowling, Scott gets up off of the floor to take the seat next to Derek.

Dinner commences and small talk is shared between the occupants.

"Scott, tell us a little bit about yourself." Bau takes another bite of the steak as he waits for the young wolf to reply. Scott swallows nervously and his eyes dart around the others at the table who were waiting for him to speak.

"He plays lacrosse." Stiles interjects, making Scott let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. "He's pretty good too. He's co-captain of the team; the other co-captain is a total tool and jackass." Katie giggles at the word and Stiles earns a glare from Maggie. "Sorry, but it's true." Stiles shrugs and fills his mouth with steak.

"So Stiles filled you in with what's going on?" Bau questions.

"Uh, yeah…"

"Good. So you'll come here after school everyday and we'll help you. Stiles will be your guide through the school day and when you get here, Derek will train you." Derek starts to protest but Bau's gaze has the young man bowing his head in submission. "Stiles, when dinner is finished, you can take your friend here home." Stiles nods.

Soon, everyone was finished eating. Stiles and Scott were talking amongst themselves getting the rest of the week's activities planned; in translation: Stiles was _telling_ Scott was what going to happen the rest of the week and Scott stood there staring at Stiles. Before leaving, Katie said good-night to the two boys before Maggie ushers the little girl up to her room.

"Night Stiles, Scott."

"Night Katie." Stiles answers after the little girl as she trudges up the stairs. It was a nightly occurrence at the Hale home. Little Katie was the daughter of one of the betas of the pack. The little girl's mother, one of the many betas, at night, had the task of running the territory's perimeter to make sure that there hadn't been any advancements onto their territory.

Scott and Stiles step out into the darkness, heading towards the waiting jeep and getting in. Starting the jeep and putting it in drive, Stiles drives down the dirt path, heading towards Scott's house. Reaching the house, Scott exits, slamming the door shut and heading up the walkway to the front door. "Welcome to the pack, Scott." Scott hears Stiles' voice clear and for the first time since he has been turn, Scott smiles and feels that everything is finally looking up.

\---

 

"Ok, you can do this. I can do this. No big deal, just, just sit down and, and just listen." Derek was pacing back and forth in his room, trying to calm his nerves before sitting down and trying to focus on finding his mate.

After Stiles had left with Scott, Derek had retreated to his room for the night and after three hours of pacing back and forth and sitting down and getting back up to pace some more, Derek had finally decided to give Laura's advice a chance, although he was very skeptical about the whole thing. Seriously, listening for a heartbeat that wasn't even familiar? How did he even know if his mate was even anywhere remotely close? What if they lived in another state or, or country? Could he even hear them then? What if he didn't even have a mate? No, that was impossible. Every wolf was born with a mate; they just had to find each other.

"Gah!" Derek growls as he runs his hands frustratingly though his hair. "Just sit down and, and block out the world. Ok, I can do this. It will work." Stopping in front of his bed, the man wipes his sweaty hands on his pants and takes a seat. Taking a deep breath, closing his eyes and using his hearing, Derek let's part of the wolf take over

Sounds were amplified. Derek could hear the intake of breath of his mother. His father in the study, flipping page after page of an unknown book. Katie in her room moving in her sleep from a dream. Stiles mumbling in his sleep, his even breathing, the little snoring noise that Derek has become familiar with. The lub-dub of every beat of his heart. The same heartbeat that has lured the man to sleep every night for the past sixteen years. The same heartbeat that always soothes and calms him down when he's having trouble controlling his inner wolf. The heartbeat that he has come to know and love.

Derek's eyes snap open and an aggravated growl escapes. Falling back on his bed, the wolf rubs his hands down his face. A few minutes pass before the young man decides to trek across his room, exiting it to make his way down the hall to the well-known bedroom. Creaking the door open, Derek slinks his way into the dark space, taking a seat at the edge of the bed. He watches the form sprawled out on the bed. Stiles' limbs tangled in the sheets. The wolf ghosts his hand over the exposed skin, smirking when the figure unconsciously moves towards the warmth. He continues to watch the sleeping form, the light from the moon hitting their face perfectly.

"Derek?" Stiles stirs, squinting his eyes to see in the dark. "Everything ok?" The teen crawls to the edge to sit beside Derek, shoulder-to-shoulder and resting his head on the older's shoulder.

The actions were not uncommon. Derek would find himself in Stiles' room on nights when it was difficult to sleep or found himself just wanting to talk. Most of the time, the two would just lie on the bed staring up at the ceiling, laughing and joking around until the early hours of morning. But occasionally their talks became deep and the two would bare their hearts and their deepest thoughts about the world around them. Stiles' thoughts concerning the pack and even admitting to Derek that he was gay. Derek hadn't been too surprised at the confession and told Stiles that no matter who he loved, it wouldn't matter, just as long as he was happy.

Derek, during the hear-to-heart chats with Stiles, would show a side of himself that Stiles has been the only one to see. The wolf completely exposed. Sure, Derek was nice to others but during these late night conversations, nothing was held back and if he, or Stiles, were to cry, they would embrace each other and not speak a word about it the next morning.

Stiles can feel Derek take in a deep breath and let out a loud sigh; tonight is going to be a bare all talk. The teen snuggles closer into Derek's side. "Want to talk?" He questions, waiting for the older man to speak. Another deep breath and sigh expelled as Derek's hands clasp and unclasp in nervousness and worry.

"I...Laura…" Derek closes his eyes, trying to focus on the words that he wants to form. "I can't connect to my mate. I-I have been trying and I-I can't pick out which scent is theirs or-or even their heartbeat. I did what Laura suggested but all I can hear is everyone in the house. How do I even know that my mate is even in the county? The state? What if I _can't_ find them?" Derek places his head in his hands.

Stiles lifts his head to look at the older man. He places one hand on Derek's thigh and the other on his back, rubbing it soothingly around. "You'll find them Derek. They're out there somewhere, waiting for you knowingly or unknowingly. They're out there and who knows, maybe they're right under your nose and you just don't know it?"

"I-I don't know. I just didn't think it would be this hard."

"The hardest task has the biggest award." Stiles lays his head on Derek's shoulder, yawning and closing his eyes but doesn't fall asleep.

Feeling the boy relax against him, Derek, feeling calm, moves his arms to wrap around the smaller frame, pulling Stiles impossibly closer. Derek leans back to lie on the bed, Stiles following and curling into Derek's side, head resting on Derek's chest.

"Maybe you haven't found your mate yet because you're too broody and scowl too much?" Stiles titters against Derek.

"Or maybe it's your fault? They see me with you and it's over before it even started."

"Hey!" Stiles retorts but smiles.

"Stiles."

"Derek?"

"Go to sleep."

"'ake me." Stiles yawns but does not fight off sleep and is surrounded by comfortable darkness and the warmth from Derek's body.

Stiles falls asleep that night curled into Derek's side and arms wrapped around him, holding him close. That is also how Laura finds them the next morning.

oOo

Stiles wonders into school the next day and immediately goes in search of Scott, who is standing by the lockers connected at the lips to none other than Allison-She-Devil-Argent. Rolling his eyes, Stiles treks down the hallway and stops right beside the lip-locked teens. Scott and Allison were caught up in their own world that it took Stiles' hands forcing them away.

While Scott glares, Allison blushes. "Thank-you. So Scott, you're still coming over today after school?"

"I'm studying with Allison." Scott replies as his eyes briefly flick to look at Allison, both blushing.

Stiles is angry, no more than angry. The word angry doesn't even cut it. Stiles is fuming with rage. How dare Scott tell him that he wasn't coming over after school? Did he even know the risks? He was dating an Argent's girl for Pete's sake! "Uh, no, dude, I think you _are_ going to come over after school." Stiles and Scott glower at each other.

"Ah, I'll just see you guys later." Allison turns around, parting from the two boys.

"You can't tell me what the fuck I can and can't do!" Scott's voice is starting to get louder.

"Uh, I think I can. Bau left me in charge during the school day and if you don't want your little werewolf ass killed then you will do as I say! You're pack now and we have to keep you safe."

"Fine, I quit the pack."

"You can't just quit! Do you even know what happens to a wolf without a pack?! They're killed Scott. If you don't want to be pack, that's fine, I'll just tell Bau but you will be hunted and killed." Tears start to form in the corner of Stiles' eyes but none fall. "Look, I know that this is new and all but just trust me on this thing. You do not want to be on your own, you're going to need a pack in order to survive. So you will be at the house after school today." Stiles turns on heel to go to the first class of the day.

Scott bangs his head into the locker.

oOo

Lunch was the same as the day before. Lydia and Jackson were bragging about how awesome they were. Stiles tuned them out, adding his own commentary in his mind. When that got boring, Stiles looks across the table at Scott and Allison. He regrets it instantly because all the mushy, lovey-dovey stuff makes him want to barf all over them, but that probably wouldn't do anything; with all the mush between the two, he probably would just throw up rainbows and kittens. Then, there was Danny, who would occasionally talk to Jackson or some of the others at the table but mostly keeps to himself during lunch. Stiles, after blocking everything else around him, was lost in his own thoughts.

"Is he, um, is he ok?" Allison asks Scott as she looks over at the boy sitting across from them. She started to get a little freaked out when she finally noticed Stiles sitting there, glaring at her. The brunette stares back with a look of horror.

Scott growls in the back of his throat and kicks Stiles from under the table. "What the hell man?! That is seriously going to bruise now!" Stiles raises his hurt shin and starts rubbing at the sore spot, trying to sooth the pain. The teen shoots Scott a look that the other will soon dread; the one that will be known as the 'face of Derek.'

oOo

Stiles waits impatiently at his jeep for Scott at the end of the day. Tapping his foot against the pavement, Stiles looks at the now clear parking lot and glances down at his watch. "Where the fuck are you?" He hits the back of his head on the jeep, instantly regretting it. Finally, after _forever_ , Scott emerges from the school, wet from his after-practice shower. "It's about time you get your furry ass out here!" Scott growls but gets into the passenger side of the jeep, slamming the door close. Sighing in frustration, Stiles gets in and heads towards the house.

"What the hell is wrong with you today?"

"Me? You're the one who just shows up in my life and tells me what to do! I finally have a girl that actually likes me and you're ruining it but treating her like shit!"

"Did you ever think that maybe I have a reason? Huh? Bau didn't want you to know yet but… Allison comes from a family of hunters and no, not just ones that shoot Bambi. They have been hunting werewolves for centuries."

"You just don't like her so you're coming up with stupid…"

Stiles slams on the breaks and turns to face Scott. "Really? Coming from a guy who was just turned? I've been with these guys since I was born; I think I know what I'm talking about here." Stiles' voice starts to become a whisper, eyes distant. "We've lost some members in the past from the Argents and I'm just trying to help you stay alive. Katie's father was among the group Allison's family killed. So sorry if I don't exactly like your girlfriend and her family."

Scott stares blankly in front of him for a moment. "What?!"

"Save…"

"Her family is a group of hunters?!"

Stiles looks at the other boy dumbfounded. "Seriously, out of everything, you're concerned… you know what, nevermind. Out. This will be your first step in training. You're running to the house. Get out."

"It's ten miles!"

"Your point? Ten miles and then hand-to-hand combat with Derek. Better get running if you want to get home tonight." Angered, Scott gets out of the jeep, Stiles grinning ear-to-ear, slams the jeep's door and starts towards the Hale house. Not one to let all the fun go, Stiles drives beside Scott, smiling and waving and when the young wolf would catch up, Stiles would drive faster, leaving Scott behind.

Pulling up the dirt road, Stiles is met with Derek stalking from the house. The younger man stops in his tracks and takes in Derek's appearance; he has to hold back a laugh.

"What?" Derek questions as he gets closer to the teen.

"Umm… Is, ah, is Katie here?"

Derek looks at Stiles confused, not getting at what Stiles is trying to say. "Yeah?"

"And, ah, did you happen to take a nap?" Derek stands still, his face silently asking Stiles to elaborate. "Your face looks like a clown barfed on it." Derek's eyes grow wide as he runs to Stiles' side mirrors of the jeep. The wolf's face is priceless and Stiles can't hold in his laughter. The teen falls to the ground, rolling around and clutching his stomach.

Katie, while Derek slept, managed to apply a hefty amount of make-up on the werewolf's face. Derek's lips were poorly outlined in fire-engine red lipstick. His eyes were covered in cotton-candy colored eye shadow up to the brow. Mascara was thickly coated on his lashes and the eye liner wasn't even close to the eye. And to top it all off, Derek had hot pink blush on the rest of his face and multiple 'beauty' marks. Said beauty marks had penciled-in hair spreading out from the center of the mark.

"Stiles." Derek growls through clenched teeth and stalks to where the teen was rolling on the ground. The oldest grabs the younger by the collar, picking him up and ramming the kid into Stiles' precious jeep. Stiles' eyes widen at the action and stares directly at the man in front of him. "You think this is funny?"

Trying to contain his laughter, Stiles calms enough to form words. "No." He pauses, cheeks puffing out as he holds back a laugh. "It's fucking hilarious!"

"Why I…"

"Stiles, Derek!" Bau's voice stops Derek's movement and Stiles' and Derek's gaze go to the alpha. "You two can have time later to learn how to properly apply make-up, right now we must train. Stiles, where's Scott?"

"Running here. Training."

Bau quirks his brow but drops the issue. "Derek. Out back, get warmed up." Derek gives a short nod and Bau turns to enter the house. "Derek, red is totally your color." Bau's smirk is hidden and Derek' growls and lets Stiles go. Stiles and Derek start walking back to the house as Katie is running around from the back.

"Stiles!" She exclaims as she catches sight of her favorite cousin. Running towards Stiles, Katie jumps into the waiting arms. "I made Derek pretty!"

Stiles snickers. "You sure did." He beams at the wolf as he continues to listen to the little girl in his arms. Leaning down, Stiles whispers in Katie's ear. "Maybe next time we can get him into one of your pretty, sparkly dresses?"

"You better sleep with one eye open tonight Stiles!" Derek disappears into the residence, leaving Stiles and Katie alone to come up with a plan to have a complete make-over: Derek addition.

 

Scott finally reaches the Hale house, Derek and Bau are in the back training and Stiles was sitting on the porch sharpening weapons as Katie pranced around him. Huffing from his run, Scott tries to sneak into the house to rest before more training but a knife whizzes past his face, missing my mere centimeters and planting itself firmly into the tree's bark. Stunned, the young wolf looks to catch sight of the culprit. He's greeted by Stiles' smiling face.

"Hey buddy! Derek and Bau are almost done. Get over here and get warmed up!" Stiles yells to Scott, who growls but goes to the back of the house to wait for further instruction. "I wanted to use you as target practice but Bau thinks that it's too early in your wolflihood." Stiles shrugs and holds up a newly sharpened blade, smiling at his own reflection.

The other teen rolls his eyes and turns his attention to Bau and Derek. The younger of the two was dodging the fatal blows but never managed to touch the alpha. Scott's attention is quickly diverted as Katie, who has climbed to the roof of the house, launches herself to land on Scott's back. Without being prepared, Scott falls to the ground and Katie immediately stands on top of the teen wolf, jumping up and down triumphantly. "Stiles! I did it! I got Scott!"

"You sure did." Stiles beams at the little girl as she hops off of Scott to run to Stiles, enveloped into the teen's warm embrace. Stiles stands and swings Katie around, making the girl burst into a fit of laughter.

Scott is still lying on the ground when Derek's voice breaks him from his thoughts. Groaning, Scott stands and makes his way to the beta. Before Scott had the chance to take another breath, he was looking up at the smirking face of Derek. "Fail. You have to be prepared for anything. Get up and try again. Then we take to the woods."

Stiles and Katie were now sitting. Katie was leaning into Stiles' side with the teen's arm wrapped around her to hold her close. The two were watching intently as Derek and Scott 'trained'. Stiles' attention was taken away from the scene in front of him when he hears music start. Turning, he notices Bau and Maggie dancing in the kitchen. Katie, hearing the upbeat music, grabs Stiles' hand, dragging the teen into the house.

Katie starts twirling around, going between Maggie and Bau, causing them to laugh and their smiles growing bigger. "Dance with me!" Katie grabs Stiles' hands and starts moving to get the teen to follow her. It didn't take much before Stiles was prancing around with Katie. He picks the little six-year-old up and twirls her around.

Normally not the one to stop in the middle of training, Derek emerges into the kitchen, shirt soaked in sweat, to start dancing with the others. Katie wiggles herself free of Stiles to be picked up by Derek's strong arms.

Scott comes to the doorway and watches as the group boogies around the room, smiling, laughing and having a spectacular time. He spots Maggie grabbing Katie and her and Bau dance their way out of the room by the back door, where Scott was standing. Bau places his hand on the teen's shoulder. "Let's go get some more training in, yeah?" He usher the young man away, going towards the woods.

In the kitchen, Derek and Stiles gravitate towards each other, arms wrapping around the other's neck and waist. There was the occasional pull out and spin back in and a dip. The two chuckling and grinning ear-to-ear until the last pull out and spin in. Stiles and Derek put space between them and Stiles spun back in and found himself extremely close to the wolf's face; their heartbeats hammering in their chest and their breathing heavy. Derek looks intently into Stiles' doe eyes as Stiles glances at Derek's eyes and then to the wolf's lips. Slowly and hesitantly, their heads start to move forward.

They're so close, breathing in the same air, until their lips are almost touching… Stiles scrambles from Derek's grips to get as much space between him and the wolf.

"Stiles…"

"Umm, I, uh, I have to go." Darting from the kitchen, Stiles exits the house, running to Laura's residence. Frantically knocking on the door, Stiles calls out to the she-wolf. "Laura! Laura!" The door opens to reveal the tall raven-haired beauty.

"Stiles? What's wrong?" Laura steps out onto the front porch to check over Stiles. He collapses into her and starts to have a panic attack. "Stiles, listen to my heartbeat, focus on that." After a few more minutes of Stiles' labored breathing, he finally calms down enough and breathing goes back to normal. "Let's get you inside." Laura goes to stand and picks the teen up with her, carrying him into the house to lay him on the couch. She exits the room to grab a glass of cold water, coming back seconds later and handing over the glass. Stiles takes a few sips but doesn't look up to meet Laura's gaze. "Stiles, look at me. Tell me what happened." Stiles starts to shake but Laura's hand on his knee calms him.

Laura takes a seat next to Stiles, pulling him in close and snaking her arms around his shoulders. "You want to talk about it?" Stiles remains still, just taking in the comfort of a member of the pack. "Is everything ok with the others?" Stiles nods his head 'yes', Laura relaxes a little, knowing that everyone is fine. The two sit in silence. Laura giving Stiles time to calm down more and figure out what he wants to say; finally, he starts to explain to her what happened.

"He's going to hate me forever; he won't be able to look at me again. How, how are we supposed to just pretend like that didn't almost happen? I'm, I'm going to have to move out, there's no way that I'll be able to face him after that, no way. He must be disgusted with me! Why did I have to be so stupid?!" Stiles rambles without breathing, his face starting to turn red from the lack of intake of oxygen.

"Breathe, Stiles." Stiles takes a few intakes of air. "Now, tell me what happened. Slower this time, I may be a werewolf but I can't listen that fast." The teen opened his mouth to explain; "Breathe and stop between sentences."

"We were dancing in the kitchen. Maggie and Bau were dancing together and I had Katie and everything was fine…"

"Stiles."

"Right. Ok." He closes his eyes and takes another deep breath. "Then, Derek came in and, and we were dancing together. Some point, Maggie had taken Katie from Derek and I and she left with Bau. Derek and I were the only ones left and were dancing together. We were laughing and then, then…" Stiles starts to panic again, breath hitching in his throat.

"Stiles, it's fine. You're fine."

Stiles scurries from the couch and starts pacing in the room. "We almost kissed! How is that ok?! That's like, like incest!"

Did she hear right? Stiles and Derek almost kissing? Laura blocks out Stiles' ramblings as she tries to hide the smirk on her face and lets her inner thoughts take over _. Finally! They're starting to feel the connection; if only they kissed. We must do something to get them to._

"…I'm never going to live this down! My own brother!"

"Stiles." Stiles continues pacing. "Stiles!" At the tone of voice, Stiles is looking at Laura, his head dipped in submission. "It's fine."

"How can you say it's fine? I almost kissed my brother!"

_Why didn't we tell him sooner?_ "Stiles, he's uh, Derek's not…" Laura tries to think of a way to tell Stiles without completely breaking him.

"He's not what?"

Laura stands. "Come on."

oOo

"Laura, what are we doing here?" Stiles and Laura are weaving their way through the cemetery; Stiles following the soon-to-be alpha closely as she leads the way. "Are you going…?"

"Stiles." Her voice is low as she stops in front of a headstone.

"Who… did you know them? Why are we here?"

"Stiles, they're your parents." Laura is waiting for the out lash from the teen but only chuckles fill the silence between them.

"Ha ha ha, ok, seriously, why are we out here?"

"Stiles, they are your real parents." The teen can see the sincerity in the woman's eyes; she's not pulling a prank, she's completely serious.

"No, no… it… Bau and Maggie…" Tears swell in his eyes and he starts to back up from Laura. "How, what?"

"They took you in after they found your parents were killed…"

"No! This is some sick joke!" Laura takes a step forward. "No, don't…just, just stay away from me!" Stiles yells and turns on heal to run into the woods.

"Stiles!"

oOo

He runs, he's not sure how long or how far he is, he just wants to get away. Get away from a life of lies; a family of lies. A family that he thought he knew, a family who didn't keep secrets from him. A family who he trusted with his life. The same family, who had taught him how to protect himself, taught him how to survive. The same family who taught him how to have fun and how to love with all of his heart.

He can hear his heartbeat in his ears, his breathing coming out as deep pants. He's not paying attention enough and trips on and uprooted root, tripping and rolling down the small embankment. Stiles yells in pain as he hears the snapping of his leg bone. Lying on his back as pain surges through his body, Stiles takes the time just to rest and catch his breath before he figures out a way to get home.

Home

_Home_

Could he let himself go back there? Did he even consider is his home anymore? A place built on lies? But did he really have a choice? Where could he possibly go? He and Scott didn't know each other well enough for him to move in, plus did he really even trust Scott? Did he trust anyone in the world?

Stiles cries. Crying for the feeling of betrayal of the people he had called family. He cried for the parents he would never get to know. He cried because for the first time in his life, he felt completely and utterly alone.

oOo

"Laura." Derek was the first to spot Laura approaching the house. She had tears streaking her face. "What…"

"Stiles. He, he came to me after…he was freaking out… I-I had to tell him. H-he took off into the woods. I should have followed him but I didn't. I didn't know what to do and then when I did try to find him, his scent was everywhere. I-I couldn't find him. Derek I couldn't find him!" Laura sobs into her younger brother's shoulder as he pulls her close. Bau, Maggie and Scott were standing a few feet away, concern written on the alpha and his mate's face.

"Laura, show us where you last saw Stiles." Bau speaks up, heading towards Derek and Laura. Sniffling, Bau's daughter nods and takes off into the woods towards the cemetery.

oOo

The sun is starting to become hidden behind the trees and Stiles is trying to crawl his way out of the ditch. He would get so far and pain would course through his body, making him loose his gripping and slide down to his starting position. Hitting the ground in frustration, Stiles lets out a growl of anger and tears threaten to fall again. He gets himself as comfortable as possible, he comes to the realization that he'll probably die in the ditch but doesn't bring himself to care.

Stiles can hear ruffling of leaves and twigs snapping just over the embankment. He shifts his head to meet the gaze of the creature overhead. The red eyes are piercing. He accepts that this is his end, but just when the creature goes to make a move closer, there are shouts in the distance.

It runs in the opposite direction.

He is not sure how long he has been sitting in complete silence, but soon, a familiar face is peaking down at him.

"Over here!" A voice calls as they pick up on Stiles' scent. It becomes stronger as they near and soon, they're looking down at the slim body. "Stiles!" The teen is too tired and in too much pain to even put up a fight when someone picks him up to carry him home.

oOo

"What happened?" Maggie greets the others at the door. Derek steps through first since he was carrying Stiles. "Put him on the kitchen table and grab the kit." Maggie follows behind Derek and goes to assess the damage on Stiles' leg. The teen is in a daze but conscious. Maggie bends over to meet Stiles' gaze. "We're going to fix this. Everything is going to be fine."

Katie, who should be in bed, hears the commotion and scurries into the kitchen. "Stiles!" She runs to the boy's side and takes a look at the injured leg. "You got an owwie. I kiss it make it better." Katie makes a move to go to the injured leg, but Stiles' hand reaches out.

"Katie." His voice is raspy and was the little girl's name whispered. Katie faces Stiles.

"Scott, take Katie into the other room." Maggie instructs the teen wolf as she searches through the kit for the needed supplies. Scott moves to retrieve the little girl but she refuses to move and instead holds Stiles' hand tightly.

"NO! I'm staying with Stiles!" She starts screaming and crying when she feels Scott starting to pull her way. Stiles tightens his grip on the little girl's hand and looks pleadingly to Scott. Scott stops, not sure of what to do. His eyes dart from Katie to Stiles' brown, half-lidded eyes.

Stiles opens his mouth to ask Scott to just leave the girl but a scream erupts from his throat and his world is consumed by darkness as Maggie and Derek set his leg.

 

 

oOo

 

Laura, who had her head in her hands, stood when she heard Bau, Maggie and Derek descend the stairs. "How is he?" Derek continues walking past his sister to go to the living room, Maggie following her son's actions. Bau stops to talk to Laura.

"Fine. Katie is snuggled close to his side, sleeping as well. He'll just have to stay in bed for a while so his leg can heal properly, it was a bad break." Bau sighs and puts a hand on his daughter's shoulder. "Let's join the others." Walking into the room, a blanket of guilt and worry settled over the group. The alpha looks towards Derek. "Derek, you can take Scott home. I'm sure his mother will be worried if he's not home soon." The young beta wants to retort but growls instead and exits the room with Scott following behind him. Grabbing the keys to the camaro, Derek departs from the house and takes off into the night with Scott, returning the teen to his home.

"I shouldn't have told him but he was panicking and I didn't know what else to do." Tears were forming in the corner of Laura's eyes as she replayed the day's events in her mind. "I didn't think…"

Maggie and Bau take a seat beside Laura; Bau on the right and Maggie on the left. "It's not your fault Laura, we should have told him sooner." Maggie confesses. "He needed to know."

"His face, when I told him. He, he looked so hurt, so betrayed." Laura rests her head in her hands as more sobs wreck her body. Bau and Maggie move impossibly closer to their daughter, trying to comfort her.

oOo

The drive to the McCall residence was spent in complete silence. Scott watches as the scenery blurs past him. The young wolf starts to replay what had happened after Bau had taken him out into the woods and when they returned, Laura was crying and talking about telling Stiles something and him not taking the news well. Turning to the older wolf, Scott sighs. "What was Laura talking about?" Derek's jaw clenches at the question. "Derek, what was Laura talking about?" Derek continued to stare forward. "Stiles says I'm pack so shouldn't that mean that you shouldn't be keeping things from me?"

Derek's gaze snaps to Scott's, eyes flashing brilliant blue. "You shouldn't be dating an Argent and you are!" It was Scott's turn for his eyes to flash.

"What is it with you guys and the Argents?! Stiles yelled at me before, saying her family was a group of hunters and now you're yelling at me because I'm dating Allison!"

"They kill people Scott, innocent people who they think deserve to die because of who and what we are. They don't care about anyone else but themselves. If you want to get killed, fine, stay with their little brat of a daughter."

"Don't talk about her!" Scott launches himself at Derek, making the older wolf swerve the camaro to the side of the road. The two wolves attacking each other in the small confines of the car.

Scott messily swipes his claws at Derek and misses each time. The older wolf, having enough, digs his claws into Scott's side, making the younger wolf recoil and fall hard against the seat and bares his neck. Derek's eyes flash at the show of submission and sits back against the driver's seat and catches his breath. Once settled, Derek pulls the car back onto the road, driving the rest of the way to the young wolf's house. Scott grabs the handle of the door, opening and stepping out of the vehicle.

"Tomorrow after school." No other explanations given as the camaro's door was shut and the older wolf driving off into the distance.

oOo

Derek sits in his car, the engine off, as he just lets the events of the day wash over him. He almost kissed Stiles, what was he thinking? Sure they are really close but to kiss the younger man? Stiles was his brother and Derek had a mate out there, waiting for discovery. Thanks to the little stunt, Stiles was up in his room with a broken leg and would have to stay there until his leg healed. With that type of break it would at least be two months before Stiles even would think about leaving his room.

Frustrated at his recklessness, Derek growls and slams his hands against the steering wheel. He is slowly letting the wolf take over in his moment of anger. Derek's teeth and claws start to lengthen, hair growing on his face and eyes flashing brilliant blue.

Aching in his chest allows whines escape from his mouth and tears the swell in his eyes.

The door opens and arms reach out, wrapping themselves around the beta, pulling him from the enclosed space and sitting him on the ground. Derek snuggles into the warmth and clings onto the person's shirt.

"Shhh, it's ok. He's ok."

"M-my fault."

"Shhh, we should have told him sooner. Don't blame yourself."

"I-we… I-I shouldn't…" Tears roll down Derek's face as he allows himself to be cradled and calmed by the warmth of Laura.

Laura tightens her grip on her younger sibling and rests her chin on Derek's head as she continues to rock back and forth with her brother in her lap. She allows a few tears the escape, landing in the spikey, short raven hair.

oOo

Maggie and Bau were inside, looking out of the front window at their son and daughter. "Should we tell him?"

"I wish we could Mags, but you know he has to figure it out. We mustn't interfere." Bau looks on with saddened eyes, wishing that he could just tell Derek that the boy upstairs was his mate. Everything would be so much easier, but he knows that no good would come from that and must just watch and hope that his son will be able to sense Stiles is his better half. Pulling his mate closer, Bau turns to lead them to their room. "Let's get to bed. I have a feeling that we're going to need all the energy that we can get."

oOo

Laura and Derek sit in silence as tears start to subside. Gently, Laura starts to push Derek away so she could look at his face. Without having to say a word, Derek nods and Laura helps her younger sibling get to his feet and the two saunter back to the house. As soon as they enter the threshold, Derek's ears immediately focus on the heartbeat in the room upstairs. The steady lub-dub of the heart making him calm some more. Derek gazes at the stairs, wanting to travel up the stairs to go see Stiles.

Laura places her hand on the small of Derek's back, giving him a little nudge to get him moving. Slowly, the wolf ascends the stairs and stands in the hallway, looking down the long corridor. Taking a breath, Derek takes sluggish steps towards the familiar door.

The door creaks as it's being opened. Looking into the room, Derek sees the slender form of Stiles, sleeping peacefully with his broken leg poking out of the sheets. Katie is plastered to Stiles' side fast asleep and hands grasping the teen's shirt. Both Stiles and Katie were lightly snoring and twitching in their sleep. Derek has a faint smile at the sight but quickly fades when his gaze lingers on Stiles' injured leg.

Swallowing, Derek steps fully into the room, heading towards the edge of the bed. He sits down and lets his hand ghost over the appendage.

"How long did you know?"

Derek jumps from the sudden sound of Stiles' tired and raspy voice. "Stiles, holy…"

"How long did you know?" Stiles stirs slightly, moving, careful not to disturb the sleeping girl. He looks at Derek, expecting an answer from the older man. Stiles can see the sadness in the eyes but he needs to know, know everything that the others have been keeping from him during his short life.

Derek wipes his hand over his face. "You need your rest."

"I need the truth."

"Katie's…"

"Asleep. Derek, I _need_ to know. _Please_." Stiles looks pleadingly at Derek.

Taking a deep breath, Derek begins explaining as much as he knows about the situation. "Dad came home one night from his nightly patrol of the territory. I ran out of the house and he was carrying something wrapped in a blanket. He wouldn't tell me what he had until we went back to the house." Derek looks in the distance at the wall on the other side of the room, the visions displaying in his mind. "He finally let me see what he had in his arms. You were so tiny and your eyes were huge." Silent tears start to cascade down Stiles and Derek's faces as the event that occurred long ago finally has a voice.

"Laura said my birth parents…" Stiles trails off.

"He said it was a horrific sight. He never went into detail and he hasn't talked about that night again. Dad has seen a lot of gruesome scenes… I can't even…" Derek shudders and looks at Stiles. "I'm sorry that we didn't tell you sooner, we-we just didn't know…sorry."

Stiles sits in silence, watching Derek and taking in the information. He was still angered by the fact that the information was kept from him, but he understands why Bau and Maggie had taken him in. His parents were killed and even though just an infant, he may have stayed in the system and would never the true definition of family. He could be walking the streets, fighting rats for a place to sleep and a scrap of unknown food to eat.

Stiles is angry; angry at the people who killed his birth mother and father.

Upset that he'll never get to meet them.

But most of all, out of everything, he's _grateful_ and knows that he'll never be able to repay the family who had taken a baby in, to give him a chance at life. Thanks to Bau and Maggie, he has a place to call home. He has people who he calls family. Thanks to those two, he's gotten a chance at _life_.

"Derek." It comes out as a whisper and full of unshed tears, but loud enough in the silence for the wolf to hear him. Stiles looks on with unshed tears and Derek knows. Without words being spoken, Derek crawls to the open side of Stiles to allow the teen snuggle close to him, holds onto him to let Stiles know that he was not going anywhere. Stiles holds on with a tight grip, head resting on Derek's chest. Katie unconsciously moves with Stiles. The three cuddled together on the teen's bed.

The only sounds in the room was the even breathing from the sleeping girl and the shuddering breathes coming from Stiles. "Why… so long…?"

Derek tightens his grip on the smaller boy's frame. "It didn't matter. You were family already."

\---

Humming and cold liquid running down his chin had Stiles opening his eyes. "Wha…?" Stiles notices orange liquid running down his chin to be soaked up in his shirt. Lifting his gaze, he notices Katie in her doctor's costume. "Katie?"

"Time for medicine." Katie brings a spoon to Stiles' lips, forcing them open. "Swallow." She demands and watches closely as Stiles swallows the liquid. She smiles in satisfaction. She crawls over Stiles, making the teen grunt and screw his eyes in pain. Katie is struggling and falls over, elbowing the wolf sleeping beside the teen grunt and crack his eyes open but remains silent, watching Katie and Stiles.

Katie leans down to put her ear on Stiles' chest, listening to his heartbeat. When she's satisfied, she moves to take a close, very close, look in Stiles' eyes. Moving from the brown eyes, she places her hands on Stiles' face, moving his skin around and making him open his mouth and pushing his nose up to look inside. Katie continues her assessment by placing her head next to Stiles' ears, taking a deep breath.

"AHHHHHHH!" Katie screams and Stiles jumps from the bed, flinging her off and having her land on the floor and smacking Derek in the face with his flailing arms. Katie is laughing as she crawls over to her crayon so she can scribble on her paper covered clip-board.

The sudden movement causes Stiles to groan in pain and gripping his broken leg with his hands. "Fffffffuuuuuu...dge! Mother goose on the loose!" Derek chuckles at Stiles' choice of words. Stiles falls back against his pillows as the throbbing starts to subside. "I hate you." Stiles puffs out. "You're my slave." The wolf grunts and buries himself further into the bed sheets. Stiles looks around the room, noticing no crutches or wheel chair. "How am I suppose to get around?"

"You're not."

"I'm not what?"

"'Getting around'. You're staying in bed."

"That's not fair! I still have one good leg! How do you expect me just to sit here for however long…?"

"Two months."

"Two months?"

"Minimum. The brake was pretty severe."

"What am I supposed to do for two months? What about school? The Argents? The rogue?"

"Scott comes here after school everyday, he'll bring you your books and work. Don't worry about the Argents and the rogue, we're handling it."

Stiles wants to retort, wants to argue that he is still capable of helping with the Argents and the rogue but he doesn't get the chance to when he feels little fingers poking at his toes. "Ka… ouch! Katie!" Katie had her claws elongated and punctured Stiles' skin, drawing a little blood.

She looks down, guilty. "Sorry, Stiles. They, they say you were broked and…" Katie has tears in her eyes as she explains.

"Come here." Stiles commands as he reaches his arms out to pick the little girl up and place him on his stomach.

"You broked?"

"A little but I'll be fine." Stiles smiles. "It will just be a little bit before I'm completely better."

"No dollies?"

"We can still play dollies but you have to bring them in here for us to play." Katie has a large grin plastered on her face and she leans down to wrap her arms around Stiles' neck. The teen hugs the little girl and another wave of pain courses through his body.

Derek notices Stiles' pain. "Katie, do you want to help me make Stiles some food to eat?" The little girl with stunning blue eyes jumps in excitement, making Stiles groan in pain at the movement. "Ok, go downstairs. I'll be down soon."

"Ok!" Katie exclaims and hops from Stiles and runs out of the room.

"I'll get you some painkillers."

"Thanks. Are you going to be able to handle her with out little ole me there?"

"Keep it up. Just remember I can send her up here whenever and you can't go anywhere."

"You couldn't do that to your favorite person. Now go get me the good stuff, my leg is killing me."

 

 

oOo

 

_Boring Log 964_

_It has been thirty minutes since the last log and about 12 hours since my brush with death. The people are holding me hostage and every so often, they send in an alien, KT-6. She has these crazy looking, miniature people. She talks for them in her high pitched voice and manually moves them around to her liking._

_There is a man who also comes into my cell. He's tall and brooding. He has tons of muscles and probably uses a whole pine tree for a tooth pick. He has massive eyebrows and scary teeth. His nose flexes a lot._

_I hear others but never see them. There is at least one other man and a few women but the exact numbers of each remain unknown._

_They rarely feed me, only giving me their left over scraps after they have devoured what they could. I' M WILTING AWAY FROM THE LACK OF NUTRITION!_

"Stiles, dinner is almost ready, we'll bring it up to you when it's done." Derek informs the teen as he walks into the room to hand Stiles a new glass of water and some painkillers. "Really? My nose flexes a lot?" Stiles shrugs as he makes grabby hands for the pills, smiling as he feels them slide down his throat and knowing in a matter of minutes, he'll be beyond cloud nine. "You know, mom might cut you off if you're going to get that excited over some pills."

"Sorry that I don't have awesome wolfy-healy powers like the rest of you." Stiles moves to snuggle into the warm blankets and pillows of the bed, closing his eyes momentarily in satisfaction. He feels Derek's gaze upon him. Cracking one eye open, Stiles breaks the silence that has fallen between them. "What?"

"Huh?"

"You're staring. Is there something on my face?"

"No, uh, just…nothing." Derek turns so he doesn't have to look at Stiles. The older of the two shifts uncomfortably.

"No, you can't just do that. Tell me Derek, what's going on?" Derek takes in a deep breath. "Derek. Tell. Me." Derek looks at the teen, a different flashing across his eyes. "Derek?" Stiles reaches out to the man, only to have the wolf flinch away from the touch.

"I-uh, I'll bring up your food when it's done." Derek goes to touch Stiles but hesitates and decides against it and leaves the room in haste. Stiles blinks a few times in confusion. Shrugging it off, the buzz cut teen sinks into the comfort of the bed and waits for his food.

oOo

Derek stalks into the kitchen, taking a seat at the table, across from his sister, huffing out a sigh and hiding his head in his arms. Laura tries to hide the smile in her voice when she speaks. "You ok?" Laura chances a glance at her mother, who is at the stove cooking. The two women share a knowing look. Derek's voice is muffled by his arms and having his face shoved onto the table. "What?" Lifting his head, Derek scans his eyes around the kitchen, eyes landing on his mother.

Derek nods his head to the back door; Laura nods and follows her younger brother outside. The younger wolf immediately starts pacing, hands tugging at his hair. "Derek?"

"This, this is not fair. I-I can't… gah!" Derek continues pacing.

"What are you talking about?"

"First we almost kiss and then… I'm staring at him and I don't even know that I'm doing it!" Laura shifts from one foot to the other in excitement. _'Connect the dots! Connect the dots!'_ She chants in her mind, waiting for the light bulb moment to hit Derek. "He may not be blood but he's my brother!" And Laura deflates, her mouth tugging down at the corners.

"What do you feel?"

"Feel? For what?"

"When you stare at him or when you were about to kiss him?"

"I-I don't know… happy I guess… complete. But that doesn't really matter. What am I supposed to do? I can't have these…these… I don't know what they are but I can't have whatever they are towards him! He's my brother and, and I have a mate out there that I still have to find!"

"You're unbelievable!" She shouts and storms back into the house, leaving Derek to look confused in her wake.

oOo

"Here is Stiles' plate and yours. Make sure he doesn't make a mess this time." Maggie places the two plates in Derek's arms. Her son turns. "Wait." Maggie grabs a bib from the drawer, draping it over Derek's arm. "For his mess." Chuckling, Derek turns and starts to the stairs.

"Derek!" Katie yells as she enters the door after her mother drops her off.

"Hey Katie. Food is in the kitchen, aunt Maggie is getting your plate ready."

"I eat with you and Stiles?"

"Yeah, I'll be down when I give this to Stiles to help carry yours up."

"No, I get it!"

"Katie, I'll help you."

"No, I get it!" Katie stomps her foot, hands clenching into fists.

"Katie."

"Derek." Derek raises his brow at the little girl, staring. Katie does not wave her gaze at her cousin.

"Fine." Derek sighs and watches as the little girl scurries off towards the kitchen. "More like Stiles every day." He ascends the stairs, going down the hall to Stiles' room. Opening the door, Derek notices Stiles' eyes are droopy and the teen trying to fight off sleep. "I, uh, was… I'll just set the food on the stand and go…"

"No, stay." Stiles replies sleepily. "Now, give me the food and sit down." He pats the spot next to him. Following the teen's orders, Derek climbs onto the bed. The food is placed on Stiles' lap.

"Wait." Derek leans over, buckling the bib around the brunette's neck, smirking when he pulls away. If looks could kill, Derek would be dead ten times over. "Compliments of the chef."

"I feel so loved. You going to feed me then?"

"What fun would that be?"

"Loads."

"Stiles. Just eat." Derek starts eating as Stiles watches his movements for a few seconds before he brings food up to his mouth. The two sit in silence as they devour their meal, with Stiles occasionally cursing under his breath when he drops an item of food. Derek chuckles and is rewarded with a "Shut up" from the teen. Katie never shows. Laura convinced the little girl to eat her dinner downstairs with them instead of the girl trekking upstairs and dropping her plate full of food.

Comfortable silence blankets the two occupants of the room. Stiles moves closer to Derek to snuggle into the wolf's side, head resting on Derek's chest. Derek wraps an arm around the teen's slender frame, holding him close.

Stiles is on the verge of sleep, basking in the warmth of Derek, when a questions pops into his mind. "Did you know them?" Derek tightens his grip on the teen.

"I-I saw them around town and mom and dad were friends with them." He pauses. "Your father was the Sheriff. Both him and your mother were well liked in the community." Derek can feel Stiles shudder next to him, his breath hitching in his throat. The wolf is torn between continuing talking or just let silence fall over them again. Derek decides that Stiles needs to know, even if what information he knows about the teen's parents are limited. "I remember one day when they came to our house, they were all smiles and their smell… it-it was different, a good different. I was wrapped in mom's arms with Laura running around at her and dad's feet when they approached us. That was when we found out that they were expecting…"

"W-what were they like?"

"You have your mother's eyes. That was the first thing I noticed when I first saw her and then I saw you after…you have your father's smile. I wasn't that old when I met them but the time I had spent with them… they were wonderful people." Derek smells the salty tears before he feels them fall to his shirt. Stiles sniffles and wipes away the fallen tears.

"Derek…thanks."

oOo

"Vrooooooom! Errrch! Ahhh! May day! May day! Go on without me! Pew, pew, pew." Katie had scooped up her mash potatoes, pretending that they were the enemy as the peas, the good guys, scrambled around the plate, trying to dodge the falling taters. "No! Jetson, Jetson, get up!" The little girl continues the battle between the two food groups, getting smirks and stifled laughter from the occupants of the table.

Laura leans over to whisper in her mother's ear. "and how much time does she spend with Stiles?" Maggie just chuckles and takes another bite of her meal.

When Katie was born and was over at the alpha's house, Stiles took it upon himself to feed the infant. Little did he know, Katie was a fussy eater and wouldn't take the food easily from someone who was not her mother. Trying many times to have the infant open up for food and failing every time, Stiles finally decided to play with the baby food first. By making airplane, train and car noises, Stiles was able to feed the girl successfully.

As Katie grew older, she became tired of the boring and annoying sounds, Stiles had to come up with another idea in order for the girl to take the food. That is when the whole battle of food had started.

Katie finally takes the spoonful of food, shoving it into her mouth. Her cheeks puffing out as she chews. She looks around the table. Pushing the food aside to talk, Katie directs the question to Bau. "Where Scott?" Bau, Maggie and Laura fall quiet, their movements stopping as they look around at each other.

"I thought…"

"Did he call…"

"Practice…"

The three oldest wolves drop their eating utensils. "Laura, take the eastern half of the territory, I'll take the west. Maggie, stay here." Bau and Laura dash to the door, opening it only to stop in their tracks. Standing a few feet away, Gerard, Chris and some of their hunters were in a line in front of the house, guns drawn and a pale Scott being held by the scruff of his neck by Chris.

Scott had slashes over his body that were slower at healing than normal. The young beta had been attacked.

 

The hunters stare at the Hales and the Hales stare at the hunters. Neither group waiting for the other to make the wrong move starting an attack.

The occasional grunt being emitted from the young beta at papa Argent's hands; Gerard stood off to the side with a haunted smile.

Laura was hunched over with her claws elongated, teeth turned fangs glistening in the setting sun's rays. The female's eyes burning golden embers as her father's shone deep, crimson red.

Someone needs to speak, break the deathly silence before them. The boy needed to be taken care of and as long as both parties remained silent, Scott would continue to suffer.

Bau breaks that silence.

"He's under my protection."

"We did not attacked him, but by the looks of it, my daughter has taken a liking to this creature. He has trespassed onto our territory and into our house." Argent barely moves his mouth as he speaks. Chris Argent shakes the boy in his grasp after his statement, proving his point. "The treaty."

"You were supposed to announce your arrival days in advance, however, you did not. Was that not also in the treaty you speak of?" Argent sets his jaw and tightens his grip on Scott. "Now, if you don't mind, hand over the boy. He needs his wounds tended to." Chris does not make a move to hand over Scott. "Must I remind you that you are trespassing on my territory and that you are surrounded by the unseen. One wrong move Argent and you and your men will be attacked." It was true; the Hale pack was thirty strong, one of the smaller packs, but armed and ready to fight when a threat to the pack occurred.

When Bau had become aware of the Argents in his territory, through the pack bond, he was able to call out to the others and those who were not preoccupied by another task came to help their alpha. Currently, there was half the pack in the surrounding woods looking on and waiting for the hunters to make the wrong move.

"The rogue."

"Is not him and I have my pack on it. Now, hand over the boy. I really don't feel like having a blood bath in the front lawn tonight." Bau scans the faces of the hunters, especially Chris. The hunter was conflicted on letting the boy go, he was still following the Code and Bau knew he wouldn't harm the teen again without proof of human blood spilt because of Scott. Gerard however…

Bau glances over to the older man. Gerard remained quiet through the whole ordeal and was staring directly at Bau, gaze never faltering. Something in the old man's eyes was not right. Gerard had changed, something was off but then again, it was _Gerard_. Waiting for the other man to look away first, Bau shifts his gaze back to Chris. "Chris."

"Next time, I will not hesitate."

"Neither will I." His eyes flashing red. Knowing where the other stands, Chris shoves Scott to the ground and orders the others back to their waiting vehicles. Bau and Laura wait until the hunters are out of sight before making a move towards the teen. Kneeling beside the boy, the alpha outstretches his arms to pick up the injured beta. "Here we go." Groaning, Scott allows Bau to pick him up and carry him inside to the living room. "Maggie, we need the first aid kit."

Pounding of little feet running down the hall enter the living room. Katie runs to the side of the couch. "Scott got owwie too?" The little girl sees Scott's now exposed torso and blood oozing out of the wounds. "I help?"

Bau runs his hand down Katie's hair. "You can go with Laura, she'll take you for some icecream." Laura looks up at her father with a questioning gaze. Her father nods, silently telling her that it will be fine.

"Katie, you want some icecream?"

"Yeah!" Katie shouts as she runs to grab and put on her shoes. Skipping back to Laura, Katie grabs Laura's hand, dragging her to the front door. Bau turns his attention to the boy on the couch. Maggie is coming down the hall carrying the first aid kit.

Entering the room, Maggie takes the empty spot by the side of the couch and digs through the container, pulling out the needed materials. "Scott, this is going to hurt." She tends to the wounds with the stuff that Deaton had given them for cases like this. Scott is soon screaming out in agonizing pain and blacking out.

"We'll give him the guestroom for tonight and call his mother to tell her he'll be staying here tonight."

Maggie nods in agreement. "The Argents, do you think that they will stray from the Code of the treaty?"

Bau shrugs. "It's hard to say with them, they say that we're unpredictable. We're just going to have to be ready for anything. Tonight I'm sending more of the pack out, hopefully they'll get a trace of the rogue and we can end this soon."

"More pack? We already have the majority of them out there. Will it be safe for all of them to be out there?"

"It'll be fine. I already talked to them about my decision and they all agree that it's the best course of action." Maggie can sense that Bau is withholding information and after a moment, she gets it.

"You can't do that. She's the only thing that she has left. Katie barely sees her mother now and what if something happens…" Bau wraps his arms around his wife, bringing her in close. She snuggles in under her husbands chin, taking in the comforting scent.

"She understands the risk and she has put us as Katie's guardians if anything were to go wrong. I don't like the decision but it's the only choice we have right now. We have to get rid of the rogue before it attacks another teen and Sandra knows that anything can happen, she's the one who actually came to me with the idea. She was so persistent and wouldn't take no for an answer."

"She's doing because of Tony. Ever since… she's been distant."

"But she wouldn't do anything to purposely make her daughter parentless. She's doing because she feels that it is the right thing to do. She'll be fine with the others there by her side." Bau hugs his mate tighter.

oOo

Stiles and Derek were joking around as usual; unaware of what was happening outside. "So this mate thing."

"Stiles."

"What? Just curious. How does it work?" Lying on the bed, the two were on their sides, face to face, breathing in the same air.

"Can we not talk about this?"

"Derek, I can totally help. If you tell me how it works, I can become your Mate Yoda. I'm already Scott's werewolf Yoda. How much harder can finding your mate be?"

"If it was that simple, don't you think that I would already have my mate?"

"Ok, so maybe it's a little difficult, but I can totally help! Like first thing, you're going to need a variety, you can't just wear black and leather all the time."

"What's wrong with how I dress?"

"Really? You have… nevermind. We're getting you new clothes first. Help me up." Stiles starts squirming, sitting up and moving his body to the edge of the bed. With every movement, pain would course through his body but he held back the cries of pain. Derek watched in fascination as Stiles inched closer to the edge. "Almost…ahhh!" Stiles, completely unaware of how close he actually was to the drop off of the bed, flails off of the mattress to hit the wooden floor below. Upon hitting the floor, he grabs his injured leg, pulling it close to his chest and starts rolling back and forth.

Derek is looking down at the teen a smirk plastered on his face. Stiles, finally calming down, glares up at the older man. "Shut up." Derek hides his face in the blanket and tries to laugh silently. "Ha ha, very funny. Laugh at the crippled Stiles." The wolf lets out a deep laugh, not caring if he's heard. "Ok, ok. Now, help me up and let's get out of here before Mags notices that I've moved."

"I don't think this is a good idea. You can't even get out of bed."

"That is why you're going to carry me out to your car and when we're shopping, we'll stop and pick up some crutches or a wheel chair or something. I am not staying in this room for two months." Derek goes to retort but Stiles glares at him and the wolf gives in.

Getting out of bed and onto the floor, Derek gets onto the floor next to the teen. Stiles wraps his arms around Derek's neck and braces himself for the pain that is to come with being moved. "Ready?"

"As ready as I'm ever going to be. Don't drop me." Smirking, Derek tenses and lifts the boy up. Stiles screws his eyes shut, waiting for the sharp pain to pass. "Ok, good, I'm good. Let's go." Derek starts towards the door, keeping his senses heightened just in case anyone was coming up the stairs. Satisfied, the wolf makes quick work of walking down the hall and stairs and out the back door. Sneaking to the front yard, Derek takes Stiles to the camaro, setting the teen in the passenger seat. "What?"

"I-I…" He strains his hearing to listen on the conversation happening in the living room. "Scott was hurt. Idiot went into the Argent house."

"Knew it wouldn't take long before something happened to him. Looks like we need to pick up a leash while we're out. Maybe a shock collar too, let him know where the edge of our property is." Smiling, Derek closes the passenger side door, walking around the car to get in. "You think he would like a chew toy too?" Derek smirks, rolling his eyes.

"Where to?"

"Burger Hut." Stiles immediately answers, slinging the seatbelt over his shoulder and clicking it in place.

"We just ate."

"Annnd? I like their curly fries." Stiles looks at Derek, waiting for the wolf to start the car and head out. Shaking his head, Derek drives away from the house towards the restaurant. Stiles fists pumps in victory.

oOo

"So, we have to get you new clothes then we're going to go shopping, looking for the _woman variety_." Stiles waggles his brows and takes another bite of his burger layered with a mound of cheese and bacon and a handful of curly fries, extra curly. "Then, you fall in love; take them home to meet the family. If they can handle Katie and Laura…Bau and Mags too…" Stiles trails off at the thought of an unrepentant woman, possible mate for Derek, meeting the family. "… maybe you should just hold off with the whole meeting the family thing for a while, meaning until after you get married and have kids. Kids or do you call them pups?" Stiles shrugs and takes a gulp of his chocolate milkshake.

"I'm not getting married."

"Cold feet already? You know they have medication for that…"

"Stiles! Just, just eat your food."

"You can't run away from this. I've made it my mission to find your mate and I won't sleep until the deed is done." Stiles snickers. "Deed. Ha." Derek does not look amused. "Get it, deed? No? Ok…I'll be the cool uncle. Feed them sugar and then hand them back to you. You should name your first born something cool like…Stiles. Yup, first born's name, called it!"

"Are you done?"

Taking the last large bite of his burger, handful of curly fries and slurping the last of the milkshake, Stiles nods with his cheeks puffed out and waits for Derek to help him out of their booth. Stiles hobbles to the car with Derek helping him support his weight on his good leg. Once situated in the car, Stiles waits for Derek to get in to start talking. "Let's get me a new leg and then we're shopping for some new clothes. Onward to the mall" Stiles is silent for a moment. "Pet store too!"

 

 

oOo

"Hi, would you like to try a free sample today?" A woman, mid-twenties with her long brunette hair pulled back, smiles as she offers the passing crowd of people the day's sample. Stiles hears the offer through the noise of the busy mall and hobbles over, with his newly attained crutches, to the woman. Smiling as he reaches out for the samply-goodness, Stiles makes sure to grab two and gestures towards Derek. When the teen turns around and swings his way back over to Derek, the teen pops both of the delectable samples into his mouth and moaning in delight at the burst of flavor in his mouth.

Orgasm in his mouth.

Stiles notices Derek staring at him, er, well, more like staring at his mouth. Curious, Stiles brings his hand up to his face slowly, having his tongue dart out and lick each of his digits, moaning at the taste that was left behind from the food. Glancing over, he notices Derek's eyes intently focused on him and the wolf swallowing an imaginary lump in his throat. Strangely satisfied with the results, Stiles grips the handles on the crutches and starts walking away from the wolf.

"Sourwolf, here boy!" Stiles calls over his shoulder when Derek is still standing in the same spot. Shaking his head of thoughts, Derek catches up to Stiles, heading in the direction of their first store. "We need to find things with color in them and maybe a little tighter in the torso region." Stiles gives Derek a once over, staring for a second longer than was necessary. "Ok, um, yeah, definitely shirts that are tighter." Stiles clicks his tongue, turning around to head off in the direction of men's clothing.

oOo

"Come on, get out here, let's have a look." Growling emits from behind the dressing room door. "Oh, don't give me that, get your lil wolfy butt out here or I'm coming in."

"Stiles," Derek grits through his teeth. "I look ridiculous, I am _not_ coming out there."

"You have been warned. Unlock the door."

"No."

"Derek." Stiles' voice is stern.

"I'm not going to unlock this door; I'm taking this outfit off." Rustling starts behind the door. Huffing in annoyance, Stiles maneuvers his way to the floor, slowly inching his way down his crutches until he's on the ground and crawling under the dressing room door.

"Ha! Told you…" Stiles looks up, mouth betraying him and becoming instantly dry at the sight of Derek's naked body, except for the dark briefs the wolf was wearing. "Uh…erm, yeah… I'll just… yeah." Slowly crawling out from underneath the door, Stiles grabs the crutches, standing and rushing out of the dressing room. Swinging back and forth, Stiles starts to have a freak out. ' _He's your brother, can't see him like that. But those abs, god those abs. No, no, bad Stiles. What the hell am I going to do? I'll, I'll just have to step it up, making it so we don't go home without him getting at least a number. I can do this. I can do this.'_

Looking up, he notices Derek stalking towards and spots a woman making her way over to the wolf. Watching, Stiles sees the woman stop to talk to Derek, a smile growing on each of their faces. The woman is giggling and running her hand up Derek's arm. Derek is nodding his head towards him, making the woman look over her shoulder, smiling and giving Stiles a friendly wave. Stiles waves back.

A few minutes later, Derek and the woman were parting.

"Since when did you know other people?"

"She's an old family friend. You remember John and Amber?"

"No way! That can't be Luna, last time she was all like big glasses and wild hair!"

"I know…" Derek sheepishly runs his head through his hair. "She uh…she asked…"

"She asked you on a date?"

"She just wants to catch up on things, but I-I told her…"

"You said no?" Stiles was internally having a dance party but he shouldn't be happy that he turned in down, the whole point was for Derek to find his mate. "You-you, uh, have to go. This could be a good thing."

"I told her yes, but I don't know Stiles. I don't think…"

"Dude she's totally into you, at least take her out once and when it doesn't work out, we'll go back home and we can eat tubs of ice cream and watch a horrible superhero movie knock-off…wait, you said yes?"

"Yeah, isn't that what we…"

"This, yeah, sure, yeah it's great, really, I'm glad for you." Stiles is trying to hold his disappointment in the development. "So, when do we have a date?"

"Stiles, it's just her and me…"

"Oh, right, yeah. Um, we-we better get back home, Maggie is probably freaking out or something." Stiles starts towards the exit of the mall.

Derek can feel Stiles' sadness and is not sure what to say to him or even why the teen is upset. Instead of calling Stiles out on his feelings, Derek goes for; "Don't you want to go to the pet store?"

"Uh…no, it was a stupid idea. Let's, let's just go home, yeah?"

"Ok."

oOo

"Stiles, where have you been? You should be in bed instead of gallivanting around. Get inside; we'll talk about this later." Stiles swings past Maggie wordlessly and hobbles up the stairs, going to his room. Maggie turns to her son. "You're supposed to keep him in bed! Where the…what's wrong?" Derek shrugs. "Derek, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, I'm just going to head up to bed. Night." Derek kisses his mother on the cheek and ascends the stairs.

oOo

Flipping on the light to his room, Stiles flails as he spots Scott lying on his bed. "Dude!"

Scott looks up from his spot on the mattress. "Sorry, your parents and sister brought me up here."

"Heard about what happened. Are you seriously that stupid?"

"Didn't think that I would be attacked again by the one who bit me in the first place. Didn't even hear it coming." He shrugged slightly. "I'm just glad that Allison wasn't there to witness it. Things would have been much worse. She would have definitely shot me if her father didn't."

"Ouch, sorry to hear that but I totally told you… wait, why are you being so open now? You've been a dick pretty much since we've known you."

"Sorry, just still trying to get used to this whole thing."

"It's cool man, just remember next time you act like a complete dick, you'll have to babysit Katie for a whole day." Stiles and Scott share a laugh and Stiles makes his way over to his bed, getting in it and propping his leg up and letting out a long sigh.

"May be too soon, but I can tell something is totally bothering you. Feel like talking about it?" Stiles shrugs. "Totally understand, new and acting like a douche."

"No, not that…ok, maybe a little, but there's just a ton of stuff going on." Stiles shouldn't be talking to Scott about this, he's still trying to learn the ways of the wolf and the last thing he needs is Stiles' burdens, but he needs to talk to someone and the _someone_ he wants to talk to is the same person who he is, unreasonably, upset with. "I've recently found out that I was sorta adopted when Bau found me after my parents were brutally murdered and that caused me to freak out and run into the woods and broke my leg, Derek is trying to find his mate because he needs to find a mate but so far he's not having any luck until tonight when he caught up with an old friend and now he's going on a date with her without me and _ithinkimayhaveacrushonhim_." Stiles fills his lungs with oxygen and refuses to look at Scott, who is looking at him, staring at him in complete and utter confusion.

In the hallway, Laura silently squeals and dances around in a small circle before continuing her dancing down the hall to her childhood room.

"That makes sense when Laura came back that day you got hurt. Wait, repeat that last part."

Stiles sighs, hitting his head against the wall. "He's not my blood brother, I mean we're technically brothers but…recently things have…I think I'm falling for him. Why the hell am I telling you all of this? Just forget I said anything."

"Dude, again I know that I haven't been the best person lately, but you can tell me anything."

"Thanks."

"Welcome. So, uh, you're brother?" Stiles hits Scott with a pillow.

oOo

On her way back to her room, Laura can smell Derek's grief and confusion. Lightly knocking on the door, Laura opens it and enters the room. "Derek?" Her brother is face down on his bed, growling into the pillow. "Derek?"

"Get. Out." Derek growls out from underneath the pile of pillows he had piled up over his head.

"That's no way to talk to your sister. Now, come on, tell me what's wrong." Laura sits at the edge of the bed and runs her hand up her brother's arm.

"Laura."

"Derek."

"Not funny."

"Not leaving. Tell me what's wrong." Huffing, Derek flips over to lie on his back. The pillows are flung every which way with his movements. Laura waits for her brother to start talking.

"I have a date."

"With Stiles?"

Derek jerks up, "What? Why? No? Why would you think I had a date with Stiles?"

"Just thought…"

"No! I can't…ugh!" Derek shoves a pillow in his face and screams his frustration into the soft material. "He's my brother!"

"Not your blood brother. He's…"

"I know! I know, he's adopted but that…we grew up together and he's my, our, annoying little brother with huge brow eyes and a smile that lightens up the darkest of dark days and knows how to make everyone laugh…gah!" Laura smiles.

"You should tell him."

"Tell him what?"

"Just tell him." Laura pats Derek's leg and saunters out of the room, smiling the whole way.

"You're no help!" Derek shouts after his sister and grabs the pillow again to chuck it across the room.

 

 

oOo

 

"I completely laid my heart out to you and you share nothing. It's your turn." Stiles looks at Scott expectantly.

"What? Why? I'm not interesting." Scott replies as he continues to stare up at the bare ceiling.

"I don't care, tell me what you like to do and all that jazz." Stiles nudges the teen wolf, raising a brow and motioning with his hands for the other teen to start talking. "You know, you and Derek will get along great if and when you two get past the whole broody-werewolf act." Scott gives Stiles a look and earns a smirk in return.

Scott sighs and rolls over to lay on his stomach, pulling a pillow close to hug it. "My mom is a nurse at the hospital." He finally spills to Stiles but says nothing more.

"Good to know for when I injury myself again, which will happen, so just tell her to be ready." Stiles waits for Scott to continue. "Is that all you're going to tell me?"

"Told you that there wasn't much…"

"Dude, I told you everything, well almost everything, you have to tell me stuff, it's only fair. What about your dad?" Scott's eyes flash in anger at the mention of his father. "O-K then, umm, any brothers, sisters?"

"No, only child."

"Bummer. You can totally have Laura, or, better yet, you can have Katie, she'd be glad to be your sister but you'd have to bring her by everyday so I could see my woman." Stiles chuckles.

"I wish I had siblings, it'd be nice." Scott looks off in the distance with a wishful gleam in his eyes. He never thought about it before, hell he didn't even know until recently, but he too might have been an only child if he had still been with his biological parents. He wouldn't know the Hales, well probably not like he knows them today. Stiles may never have met them. There would be no Laura, Maggie, Bau, Katie…no Derek.

What type of person would he be today if his…parents…we're still alive? He could have been a complete nerd, ok he was practically already there but that's besides the point. He could have turned out like a, like another Jackson or, or what if his parents were hunters? He would have grown up learning the ways of killing innocent wolves…

He shakes his head before he allows himself to continue down that train of thought. Stiles, instead, turns his attention back to the other teen on his bed.

Stiles cups Scott on the shoulder. "With your new furry side, you have siblings."

"You're not going to fall in love with me, right? I have Allison…"

"Dude, so not cool! Just remember that I'm the brains of the pack and I know where the emergency wolfbane is kept and can totally take your ass out."

The wolf's eyes grow wide but quickly fill with amusement. "Sorry, sorry." Scott chuckles. "So do you know what you're going to do?"

Stiles sighs, "No. I don't want things getting weird between us and what if he doesn't feel the same way 'cause he's like freaked out with the whole 'brothers' thing?"

Scott shrugs. "Don't know but are you sure that you'd be ok with you know like dating him? I mean he's all broody and kinda scary…" Stiles rolls his eyes. "Just saying man. Hey, maybe we can go on a double date?"

"With you and A-Allison?" Stiles' expression changes at the mention of the Argent girl. No matter what happened, he will not affiliate himself with a girl who could end up killing his whole family, it would not happen again.

"Yeah! It'll be fun!"

"Sorry dude, but no."

"Oh, come on, why not?"

"Dude, she's an Argent and if you would have been paying attention, you'd know that the Argents don't get along with the Hales. You're not even a Hale and you are considered a target by her crazy ass father. Plus, how do you even know if you'll be able to see Allison again with Chris knowing that you're a freaking werewolf?"

"I was just kinda hoping that he would…forget?" Scott looks up with puppy-eyes, freaking puppy-eyes, what the heck is up with that? Stiles was not the one who Scott had to use them on but it was amusing to see the moppy-haired teen with his huge brown eyes wide.

Stiles laughs. "You're serious? You actually think…" He can't control his laughter as he holds his stomach and tries not to jostle his broken leg too much.

"Ok, ok…it's not that funny…" Stiles continues laughing and soon Scott can't help but to join in.

oOo

_Tell him? Tell him what exactly? That he's an annoying younger brother? That I always look forward to our talks and the way he looks at me with those big brown eyes and that smile…_

"Shit." Derek stopped pacing his room when the revelation hit him. Why didn't he see it sooner? Was this what Laura was talking about? Is it even possible, how is it even possible? That night when his father brought him home…

He had to talk to Laura. She would know, she always knew. If it wasn't her business to know, Laura made sure she knew and this _thing_ , Derek was positive that Laura had known for a while but kept it to herself and got some joy out of watching him suffer.

Darting out of his room, Derek goes in search of his sister and finds her on the porch swing. "How long?"

Laura keeps her eyes in her book. "How long what?" There's a small, sly smile playing at her lips.

"You know…" Derek makes a 'you-know-exactly-what-I'm-talking-about-but-you'r e-just-being-the-annoying-older-seemingly-all-knowing-sister-and-you-just-want-me-to-suffer' face.

"No, really, I don't why don't you enlighten me?" She moves over and pats the spot next to her on the wooden swing. Derek takes the spot and starts to clasp and unclasp his hands together in his lap.

"Was it the night they brought him home? I remember…I knew something but I didn't know…"

"Yes, it was that night, mom and dad saw your eyes flash and…"

"You guys didn't tell me."

"We couldn't tell you." Laura wraps and arm around her brother's shoulders and pulls him in closer. "You had to find out yourself."

"Does he know?" Laura's smile widens but she reveals nothing more. She gets up from her spot on the swing, going back inside. "Again, you're such a huge help sis!"

"Just talk to him!" The soon-to-be alpha shouts over her shoulder. Derek runs his hands through his hair in frustration.

oOo

Laura lightly knocks on the door to the boy's room. Sneaking her head in, she notices Stiles and Scott lying on the bed talking to one another. Stiles looks up at her, smiling. "Hey Laura."

"Hi." Laura greets. "I…everything ok?"

"Yeah, just talking. What's up?"

This is what she lived for and finally she had a purpose for putting Stiles and Derek through some petty torture. She knew exactly what would send Stiles into a frenzy to find out the unanswered questions, he wouldn't rest until he did. "Oh, um, nothing really. I'll leave you two alone, it can wait until later."

"Wait, no, tell me. You can't just say stuff like that to me. What's going on?"

"Oh, uh, it's nothing really, just, uh, Derek…"

"Derek? What's wrong with sourwolf now? Is he ok?"

"Yeah, he's fine. He just…never mind…go back to talking with Scott and we can talk later."

"Laura! Come on, tell the cripple what's going on or I'm going to have to get out of bed and search for him and Maggie will start yelling at me because I'm supposed to stay here in this _bed_ , you know, not moving my broken leg but Derek could be in trouble and may need my help then I would have to crawl off of the mattress, risk injury again but since I'm a great brother I'll have to go help him 'cause I can't have him dying on us but I'm really not looking forward to moving from this spot."

"Stiles, just calm down, everything is fine but…just forget I said anything, it's nothing important and it can wait." Laura closes the bedroom door, laughing to herself as she walks down the hall.

"You're going to get up aren't you?"

"Yep."

"And you're going to find Derek."

"Uh huh."

"And what exactly are you going to say to him?"

"Have no clue." Stiles manages to grab his crutches and hoist himself into a standing position. "Stay here and I'll be back. If I'm not back in ten minutes, call the SWAT team."

"You're family _is_ he SWAT team." Scott replies and falls back against the bed, closing his eyes and quickly falling into a dreamless sleep, the day's events finally catching up with him.

Stiles scoffs but continues his journey in search of Derek. Making his way down the hallway, the teen comes to the stairs and figures if he sits down and slides the way to the bottom is easier than hopping from step-to-step with one leg. Stiles manages to make it to the ground level without seriously hurting himself. Supporting himself with his crutches once again, Stiles roams around the house, going in and out of every room until he spots the dark hair on the porch.

"Hey, there you are. Laura said…"

"Should have known." Derek huffs out and buries his face in his hands. Stiles takes a seat next to the man. "I really don't feel like talking about it right now, Stiles."

"But there is _something_ you want to talk about."

"Yes, I mean no… maybe."

"I'm not leaving until you tell me what is going on."

"You're upset."

"What? Me? I'm never upset. When have I ever been upset?"

"Today, at the mall, after, after I told you about Luna."

"Pssh, nonsense. I wasn't upset, just, just surprised that's all…"

"Stiles, you know I can tell when you're lying."

Stiles hangs his head. "Fine, maybe I was a little upset…"

"Why?"

"What, is this like twenty questions now?"

"Just answer the question. Why were you upset?"

Stiles sits silently as he and Derek swing gently on the wooden contraption. Was he really going to do this? Was he just going to spill his heart out to Derek, the one who is his brother, _non-blood_ brother? The person who he has shared a house with and grew up together? What if Derek didn't feel the same way and started distancing himself from the teen?

Stiles nervously runs his hands through his hair, taking a deep breath. "I-I know that…I was supposed to…I just…" Stiles lets out an annoyed sigh. "It's…god! Wait, you were all upset too! I wasn't the only one!"

Derek's eyes grow wide. "What…no I wasn't…answer the question! I asked you first!"

"Nuh uh, no way, you have to answer mine. Why were you upset?"

"You're not turning this onto me! I still asked you first!"

"Gah! You always do this! When we're not in the darkness of my room, you shut down, why? What are you so afraid of?"

"You're unbelievable! I just asked you a simple question and you're flipping out on me!" Derek is now standing, staring down at the brown-eyed teen and fists clenched at his side, his nails extending and breaking skin. A sliver of blood starts to drip from his already healing hand; Stiles stands up, griping his crutches hard and starts walking away from the wolf. "Where're you going? We're not done here!" Stiles ignores Derek. "Stiles!"

Derek sits back down on the swing, letting the front door slam shut. _'Stupid teen and their hormonal selves. Who does he think he is? Asking me what is wrong. I'll show him, I won't stoop to his levels…'_ The wolf lets his anger boil and sits stubbornly with his arms crossed and biting into this lower lip. He's not going to give in, nope, not at all. He has better control, he can do this. If Stiles thought he was upset before…well, he has another thing coming, a whole different level of upset.

He's not going to do it

He has better control

He will not storm after the teen

Nope

Derek Hale does not go after stupidly-stupid teens

…or ones with doe-like eyes

….or ones with the brightest of bright smiles

"Shit."

Uncrossing his arms

Letting go of his bloodied but bleeding lip

Derek stands

Entering the house

"Stiles!"

Laura was standing off to the side, a large smile plastered on her face as she watches her brother enter the house and head towards the staircase. Derek growls at his older sister and stalks up the stairs and Scott is right there to greet him.

Scott runs a hand through his hair and takes a quick glance up to the older wolf but does not keep the contact, instead looking at the floor. "Um, he, uh, yeah…I'm just going to…" The young wolf pushes himself past Derek as an attempt to make his way downstairs but Laura, Maggie, Bau and even Katie, were slowly ascending the stairs. "Wha…?"

Laura puts a finger to her lips, signaling for the teen to be quiet; Scott nods.

Down the hall, a bedroom door opens and a moment later, clicks shut.

The group rushes, quietly, down the hall to sit outside of the room.

Laura brought popcorn.

Entering the room, Derek notices Stiles sitting on the edge of the bed, fiddling with his hands and his eyes gazing down at the floor as his good leg is aimlessly swinging back and forth.

"Turn the lights off." Stiles commands but still refuses to look at the wolf. Derek hesitates for a moment but gives in, turning the lights off. "You just going to stand there?" Derek was about to shrug but knows that Stiles wouldn't see it anyways in the slightly darker room. Instead, the older man wonders over to the bed, taking the spot next to the teen.

Stiles closes the distance between him and Derek to lie his head on the other's shoulder and answering the unasked question. "This is the only place you open up to anyone and I mean anyone…behind closed doors and in the safety of the dark. I just thought…" Stiles sighs. "We both know that we need to talk about something and I'm hoping…" _Now or never, Stiles._ "I…something…I don't want to keep this from you. I just figured it out recently but…I think you deserve to know…"

"Stiles…" Derek begins, if he doesn't say something, then he'll never be able to tell Stiles and whatever the teen has to say, it…well it can't be as important as Derek was going to be telling him. It was going to change both of their lives and if everything turned out…Stiles would have plenty of time to talk Derek's ear off with his rambling.

"Just, please, let me…I just need…"

"Wait." Derek interrupts and gets up from the bed to start pacing around the room, hands back in his hair.

"Stop interrupting me! I'm trying to tell you…"

"Do you ever just shut up?" Hurt flashes across Stiles' face and Derek quickly kneels in front of the teen. "That… I didn't mean…gah!" Derek lets out an exasperated sigh and lets his head drop. "Look, I just…"

"Seems like both of us are having trouble with whatever we're trying to tell the other, so we're going to count to three and just blurt whatever it is out and go from there." Stiles pokes at Derek's head. "Agreed?" Slowly but surely, Derek starts to nod his head in agreement. "And promise not to freak out no matter what is said?" Derek nods again. "You're uh, you're going to have to look at me, I don't want to talk to the back of your head…then again, it may be easier…"

Derek looks up.

"Ok, yeah, um, totally should…"

"Stiles."

"Right, counting, telling…yeah, sure…" Stiles takes a deep breath, closing his eyes momentarily and then opening them again to stare at the man before him. _'Can totally do this.'_ "Ready?"

"Yeah."

"Ok. 1…" Stiles swallows. His body heating up and a blush spreading over his body. The brown-eyed boy darts his tongue out, wetting his now dry lips. The world slows down and he feels as if the walls are caving in on him. Stiles closes his eyes momentarily to even out his breathing, calming down all together and getting prepared as much as possible before the countdown is over.

"2…" Derek continues the count. Both men looking directly at each other as sweat starts to form on both of their foreheads.

In the hallway, Laura, Maggie, Bau, Scott move closer to the door as each number is said out loud and allowing some of the forgotten popcorn fall to the floor. Katie is oblivious as to what is happening on the other side of the door but for once she remains silent as she starts to eat the fallen buttery popcorn.

"2 and a half…" Stiles and Derek look at one another, they know they can't hide from this; this is something that will not just go away. They need to deal with this, whatever _this_ turns out to be. They will act as mature adults and face…

"3! I love you!"

"You're my mate!"

"What?!" Stiles and Derek yell at the same time as their eyes grow wide and unsure of what they just heard.

"You…?"

"I'm…?"

"How long?"

"When did you…?"

"I asked you first!"

"Nuh uh, no way, I totally asked you first!"

"Stiles."

"Derek." Stiles lowers his voice to match Derek's darker and deeper voice.

Both are at a loss for words and are not sure of where to go from here. They stare at one another with wide eyes.

Finally after so long, their deepest secret is revealed, but what happens now?

They can't just 'forget' what has been shared. Not that either of them really want to.

They could choose to ignore it but what will that do? They'll still be living in the same house, sharing the same space but knowing that the other has feeling for them. Both Stiles and Derek know that if they choose just to ignore the revelation, they will forever be casting longing glances at the other and quickly turning their gaze when the other notices.

The brush of hands or shoulders or any other body part would send chills throughout their bodies, definitely something that could not be easily ignored or forgotten.

Derek and Stiles look at the other.

"We could…"

"But what…?"

Stiles shrugs.

Their lips crash together in a heated moment, a moan escaping the younger's mouth as Derek deepens the kiss and moves so the teen has to crawl his way up the bed and lie on his back.

Their hands roam under the offending shirts to get closer to one another, trying almost to become one person.

Derek moves his mouth from Stiles' and starts marking his way down to the teen's neck, earning a gasp and another moan that sounded a lot like ' _Derek'_

Soon clothes were being removed and the snapping of buttons echoed throughout the darkened room and drifts out into the hallway.

"O-ok, who wants to go get some ice cream?" Maggie is already directing Katie to the end of the hall and Bau squeezes Scott's shoulder. Scott's eyes are wide at the sounds coming from the other side of the door.

"That…never…" Scott shudders at the thought as another moan followed by a gasped ' _Derek'_ assaults his ears. The young wolf slaps his hands over his ears trying to drown the sound out. "Make it stop…I'll be having nightmares for the next year." The alpha smirks and walks beside the young beta, continuing down the passage way.

"Laura." It wasn't a question, the alpha was ordering for his daughter to follow.

Even with the heightened senses, Laura had her ear pressed against the door, smirking but a look of reluctance to obey her father. Bau quirks a brow, Laura huffs but finally stalks over to father. Wrapping his arm around Laura, he smirks and presses a kiss to her temple.

"Come on guys! Ice cream!" Katie shouts from the bottom of the stairs, putting on her light-up shoes.

"Ok, ok, we're coming." Laura chuckles as she meets her mom and Katie on the first floor, grabbing her purse and grabbing Katie's hand. Bau and Maggie, also hand-in-hand, go to the door, opening it.

"Mommy!" Katie screams, tears already streaking her face at the sight of her mom. The rogue had a hold of Katie's mother's limp form. Bau could still hear a heartbeat, but it was faint. Katie goes to run towards her mom, but Laura wraps her arms around the struggling child to keep Katie from danger.

Laura forces Katie's face into the crook of her neck, trying to get the little one to take in the calming scent of pack and to keep Katie from seeing her mother covered in blood, a sight no doubt that will haunt her for the rest of her life, the last memory of the Fallen. "Shhh, I got you. I'm so sorry, so sorry." Laura tries to hold back the tears but fails and they cascade down her face silently as she tries to sooth Katie.

Laura steps back inside to keep the little one safe as her father, the alpha, deals with the rogue.

oOo

It was finally happening, after all of this time.

He was Derek's

Derek was his.

They were going to make it final.

Finally

" _Derek_." Derek kisses down the now exposed skin of the teen, marking the pale, silky skin of the boy below him. The marks that Derek would create were never to fade, making sure the world knew who exactly Stiles belonges to.

Derek teasingly stops for a second before Stiles' hands are tangling in his hair, guiding his head lower. The wolf looks up, grinning and locking brilliant blue with chocolate brown. " _Please_." Stiles' voice barely a whisper, filled with lust and want, growing impatient as his body waited for the desperately needed touches, the release.

It felt amazing, having Stiles, lying below him, legs spread and coming undone at his touches. He was going to be the only one to do that to the teen, the only one who is able to touch Stiles like this. His wolf howled internally at the sight of its mate, _his_ mate.

He was ready, his tongue darting out, a Stiles' quirk he picked up over the years, as his head starts to…

Derek stops all movements, earning protests from the teen. "What, why'd you stop? _Derek_."

One word spoken as Derek darts off of the bed, rummaging around the room to gather his and Stiles' clothes.

"Katie."

"What? Is she…what's…?"

"Get dressed." Both quickly dress and Derek heads for the door but turns around before exiting to run over to the bed and smash his lips against Stiles'. The wolf exits the room, running down the stairs and towards the smell of pain…

 

 

oOo

Coming to the front door where Laura stands just inside of the foyer. The door is tightly shut and Katie is clawing at the older Hale sibling, wishing to be released from the woman's grasp.

Derek listens to the battle raging outside and rushes past Laura and Katie. Reaching the front porch, the beta quickly goes into the fight alongside his father. Off to the side, Maggie and Scott looking over the unconscious body of Katie's mother.

It should be a short struggle, but the rogue is blocking all the attempts of attack coming from Derek and Bau.

Unknowingly, Stiles had moved to the window and watched the scene below him step-by-step. He had decided that he was going to go help take down the monster. Stiles landed with a pained groan on the hard earth.

The world around the the Hale house slowed down as everything happened in a blink of an eye. One moment, it was just Bau, Derek and the rogue facing off, the next, Stiles had claws raking through his chest and he and the rogue fell to the ground with a loud thump. Derek fully shifted to go to his injured mate but Maggie and Scott held him back as Bau assessed the damage.

The rogue was dead

Stiles barely hanging onto life

The next few hours were hit and miss as the family worked diligently to save the teen that brought life to every dull moment in life.

oOo

"Dude, you need a breath mint! Did something die in there?" Stiles pushes at the form lying next to him on the bed. However, the body just presses closer. "Ugh, that smell is horrible!"

"My breath wouldn't smell so bad if someone hadn't almost died." Derek about growls out.

Stiles clamps his mouth shut. He feels guilty for almost dying, glad that he didn't, but decides that it would have been worth it if that ment that his life saved multiple others. "I'm sorry, but I don't regret my decision."

"Don't do it again. We can heal, you can't." Stiles rolls his eyes, earning a snarl in response. He just runs his hand through Derek's raven locks, soothing the older gentleman.  
 Stiles goes stiff when he realizes that Katie's mother was in critical condition the last time he had seen her. "Everyone is fine. Katie's with her mother, who is at home taking it easy for the next few weeks. We're just waiting for you to get better." Stiles relaxes against Derek. "Scott, mom, dad and Laura want to see how you're doing."

"They can come in."

"Nope."

"Derek?"

"Mine." Derek purrs into Stiles' ear that make Stiles shiver. "He's fine, you can leave now." Scuffling from outside of the door can be heard as the others leave to do whatever.

"He's still healing Derek! Take it easy on him!" Laura shouts from down the hall. Both men blush.

"She's your sister." Derek just grunts in reply as he shuts his eyes. Stiles continues to run his fingers through Derek's hair and reflects back on all that has happened.

His life wasn't the easiest, but it was the journey he has been chosen for. He's saddened by the fact that he'll never get to know his true parents, however, extremely grateful this family that has taken him in without a second thought. They have made him into the person he is today.

The future is still unwritten, only The Hands of Fate knowing what is to come.

 

 oOoOoOo

 

**Author's Note:**

> Finally finished after a year! WOOOOOT!
> 
> Originally posted on fanfiction and decided to transfer it over to here. 
> 
> Hope it was worth the read :)


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